# Do cats "understand" speech like dogs do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 15, 2008, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091 "2008-08-15T13:07:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![metronome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7993a0/32.png) [@metronome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/metronome)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/41 "2008-08-16T16:40:35Z")
Ah, so cats are like teenagers that never grow up! 😛 [QUOTE=alice\_in\_wonderland] My SO’s mom’s cat understands. He does tricks like a dog. Sit. Stay. Shake a paw. Highfive. Roll Over. She had time on her hands and trained him. It’s freeky. [/QUOTE] Wow. Just… wow. I would not have thought that was possible. Mine can’t even grasp the concept of, “When I scratch the couch, my humans move me to this tall cylinder and run my claws over it. I should scratch here instead.” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/42 "2008-08-16T17:03:01Z")
[QUOTE=neutron star] :dubious: Have you verified that this is, indeed, a cat you’re dealing with, and not, say, a rat with exceptionally long fur? [/QUOTE] He’s a Bengal. They \*are \*a little weird. He gets “free feed” dry food and one small can a day. ---
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/43 "2008-08-16T17:48:17Z")
[QUOTE=Whack-a-Mole] I believe they can understand speech. Cats are trainable to do a variety of things and respond to verbal commands. I think the issue is they are by nature not as “programmed” as dogs to accept training easily. [/QUOTE] I’ve always believed based on my small knowledge of evolution and biology, that dogs are more easily “trained” by something with more “dominance”. Domestic dogs descend from wild pack animals that instinctively give way before the pack’s “alpha”. As the human, you (should) become the alpha. I’ve seen situations in which the presumed “master” didn’t do this right and the dog became a _big_ problem. Although some cat species are pack animals, many more are solitary hunters. I suspect that domestic cats came from a much more solitary type of hunter. I’ve even read somewhere that cats weren’t “domesticated” in the sense that humans grabbed wild ones and bred them to be domestic. Instead, the cats started living in human environments, most likely in Egypt, and mostly likely because they hunted the rodents that attacked stored grain. The Egyptians let them remain because they were better protection for rodents than anything else. Over time, human and cat began to tolerate each other. So dogs instinctively want to figure out what you want them to do, while cats just co-habitate with the humans that feed them. Perhaps cats in the wild were sufficiently non-solitary that they want company, and humans provide it. Of course, different varieties of dogs have varying levels of intelligence, depending on the breeding that we’ve done. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/44 "2008-08-17T16:29:32Z")
[Here](http://www.courant.com/features/pets/hc-ny-cattraining-0815,0,5215503.story) is an interesting article. ---
**Author:** ![Lobelia\_Overhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/45 "2008-08-18T12:16:18Z")
My car Sammi understood words, I can remember catching her about to jump on my bed, I said “you wait till I put your blankey down missy!” and she sat down and waited till I put her blankey down before jumping onto the bed. I’d a cat years ago who could tell the time. I’d tell him “be back by 9!” when I was letting him out, and he would be. Didn’t matter what time I said he always appeared at the right time. I hid in the kitchen [no lights on] and at the appointed time, _bing_ he jump up on the window sill … I, for one, welcome our feline overlords ---
**Author:** ![FuzzyOgre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@FuzzyOgre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuzzyOgre)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/46 "2013-02-10T03:11:29Z")
Mine understand their names, come when called, and one will even go find the other if I ask. Both know what it means, its just that he generally doesn’t care to do it. ---
**Author:** ![the\_O](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@the\_O](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_O)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/47 "2013-02-10T03:58:55Z")
My cat doesn’t understand words, but she will run a block when i press the ON button of the electric can opener. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/48 "2013-02-10T03:59:00Z")
Where did you dig up an almost five year old thread? And yes, my cats understand words. Though they aren’t as easily trainable as most dogs, they can learn. the work ethic isn’t always there though, kinda like with certain kinds of employees. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/49 "2013-02-10T05:06:58Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > … I even taught one of our ferrets to sit up on the command. Since they have teeny little attention spans, I only ever bothered with the one. 😉 ) Tell me about it. I keep amoebas. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@Bob\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_X)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/50 "2013-02-10T05:15:43Z")
Sharon was the only one in the house allowed to feed Badcat (Badcat had a name, but nobody used it) since Badcat would otherwise beg multiple bowls of food throughout the day. But once I came back late, and Sharon wasn’t around, and Badcat was mewling quite piteously by his bowl, even though he knew that this was generally no use. So I pointed my finger at him, and said “You tell me the truth now! Did Sharon already feed you?” And he articulated, quite plainly, “NOOOOOOOOO!” ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/51 "2013-02-10T05:22:17Z")
> [@the\_O](#): > > My cat doesn’t understand words, but she will run a block when i press the ON button of the electric can opener. i house sat for some friends that had 2 cats. they (the cats not the friends) would run from anywhere in the house when the kitchen drawer that contained the cat food was opened. other drawers of the same construction and size got no response. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/52 "2013-02-10T05:43:58Z")
My theory is, cats are like Americans: they’d rather talk to you in their language than learn yours. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pdunderhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4bbf92/32.png) [@pdunderhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pdunderhill)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/53 "2013-02-10T07:19:24Z")
As a child in Cornwall the family was owned by an eccentric Labrador and a Cat called Avon Dad suffered and died from a heart attack taking Ross for a daily walk. The Dog howled and stayed by my father, Avon heard this and bothered/harrassed my mum until she followed the Cat to the Dog. I got to hear of this a little later than the Pets, of course. Felines seem to live in their own universe, If you’re a lucky person they’ll decide you’re the least worst human… if your’e lucky. Peter ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/54 "2013-02-10T10:09:44Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Cats understand. They just don’t care. > I’ve known plenty of cats who demonstrably understood their name (at least understood that it meant “Hey You! Attention!” or “Come Over Here!”) And almost five years later, this is still true. Cats do what they want, and generally don’t care about what humans want. Same with learning tricks, cats CAN learn, but mostly they don’t want to, unless they perceive that there’s a real benefit for them. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/55 "2013-02-10T21:21:17Z")
The dog has a master; the cat has a staff; So, Wilson my cat, has to laugh, As does Pilgrim, my kitten, Who is not at all smitten: “The dog is the smarter,” by the riff-raff. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/56 "2013-02-11T04:25:06Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > My theory is, cats are like Americans: they’d rather talk to you in their language than learn yours. 🙂 I like this and will probably steal it, but it is factually untrue. It is widely known that feral cats do not generally meow; only household cats. It is believe that cats meow because they are attempting to imitate the speech sounds we make! I always wonder if my cats look at each other after meowing at me and say, “Isn’t it cute the way he responds when I do that! He thinks I’m a person! I wonder he thinks I said?” ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/57 "2013-02-11T06:18:45Z")
My mother came to visit me while I was studying abroad in Spain. One morning, I found her trying to entice our cat Mila over by saying, “Come here, Mila, come here!” while Mila sat dumbfounded at the end of the hall. “Oh no,” I said. “Mila only speaks Spanish. Say _ven aquí._” My mother was skeptical, but gave it a try. “_Ven aquí_, Mila!” And Mila came trotting over happily. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/58 "2013-02-11T07:30:14Z")
My cats come when I call their names. Generally because they associate their names with food. ---
**Author:** ![Genius\_1\_4\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@Genius\_1\_4\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genius_1_4_3)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/59 "2013-02-11T07:44:43Z")
Cats are more of a instinctive species, while dogs are more conscious. Cats react the way that evolution has trained them to act/respond to certain stimuli (which includes speech) to ensure the basic necessities for survival. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/60 "2013-02-11T17:53:37Z")
> [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > I like this and will probably steal it, but it is factually untrue. > > It is widely known that feral cats do not generally meow; only household cats. It is believe that cats meow because they are attempting to imitate the speech sounds we make! I always wonder if my cats look at each other after meowing at me and say, “Isn’t it cute the way he responds when I do that! He thinks I’m a person! I wonder he thinks I said?” I have free range kitties that I feed (no pics, sorry) that are all adults. One of them meows. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091.md?page=4)