Teaching cats to speak "human"

[BigCharles]

I'm convinced that cats can learn our languages. They might not be able to "speak" but they can understand. And how.

With the ice storm last week and multiple power failures our daily routine was much disturbed. One morning Lamoni (our big boy cat) came and got me up to fix "breakfast". In these recent years this has been Fifi's job.

I went to the kitchen and got out the cat food can, plates, and a spoon. I was all ready. Lamoni was ready. No Fifi.

I did not want to wake up Cindy so just shouting was out. I found Fifi at the opposite end of the house, sleeping in my office chair. She usually wakes up when I come near the chair and greets me with a chirp so that I won't sit on her. Not this time.

Cats can sleep so soundly you might think that they are dead. Sure enough Fifi was "dead to the world". I had to shake her to get her to wake up. She scowled at me. I repeatedly told her to get up and come eat. Not doing. I walked out into the hall and called her. Nothing. She just stretched out all four paws and closed her eyes.

I went back into the room and woke her again. I tried poking her gently in the belly. I got pushed away the first time and a gentle "don't do that" bite the second time. She just layed there glaring at me.

I said, "wet food." She stood right up and launched out of that chair. She was in the kitchen before I cold get into the hall.

She understod those two words so clearly.

[relish]

My cats don't know "wet food" but they do know "ya hungry?". Also, they know who mommy and daddy are and my girl even knows who grandma is!! When I tell my big boy cat that I have treats for him, he now sits and waits patiently. The other one won't sit, I have to take them to her (she thinks that she is a princess and I am her servant).

[sooby707]

i do to believe that cats can talk. it may not sound like an exact no or yeah but if u listen to the different pitches and to the different lengths of the meow they are words. both of my cats talk. my cat liz wich recently past use to answer my questins. i will ask are u ok and sometimes she will say yeah . you just got to listen to them real closely. besides they kind of are like little humans why cant they learn a diiferent language if we can learn spanish.

[lotty]

sound just like my cat. whenever i go grocry shopping i come home with many bags and hes looking in all of them trying to figure out if i got him anything. then i say "kiddie food", and he makes this little noise and rushes up to my room to get his canned food.

[Kristl]

My cats know "come here". Which is strange, because normally cats do exactly the opposite of what you want them to do. But if they're in the mood, the know that phrase. And they know their names.

[BigCharles]

They both know "NOT for kitty!". I taught that to Lamoni a long time ago. I also taught them "safe for kitty". I use this when I'm trying to show them something new. I'm careful to make sure that what ever is is wong go bang, smell strongly, or squirt at them.

Consistancy is the key.