# 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:** 4\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/61 "2013-02-11T18:25:40Z")
> [@Genius\_1\_4\_3](#): > > Cats are more of a instinctive species, while dogs are more conscious. That’s a contentious claim:). Dog brains are larger, but cats have approximately twice the neural density of dogs in their cerebral cortex ( ~300 million vs ~160 million nerve endings ), the seat of memory and learning in humans. Dogs are undeniably more social, more trainable and better at learning complex tasks. I’d consider dogs to be on average “smarter” than cats, hard as that is to determine objectively. However whether that means they are more “conscious” in terms of self-awareness is pretty hard to suss out. ---
**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, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/62 "2013-02-11T23:40:08Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > I have free range kitties that I feed (no pics, sorry) that are all adults. One of them meows. Do you talk to them? ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/63 "2013-02-11T23:50:51Z")
My cat seems to understand only a very few words. Name, food, stop and come here. Thats about it. ---
**Author:** ![DOBIE66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@DOBIE66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DOBIE66)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091/64 "2013-05-15T16:54:25Z")
> [@metronome](#): > > I grew up with a dog, and I know that dogs don’t really “understand” human speech, but they can learn their name and commands like, “No teeth!” and “Sit!” and “No!” > > Last weekend, I got my first cat ([mandatory](http://www.flickr.com/photos/gmugnome/2764349862/)[cat](http://www.flickr.com/photos/gmugnome/2764347338/)[pictures](http://www.flickr.com/photos/gmugnome/2763501023/)). She doesn’t respond to her name, and she ignores “no.” > > So, do cats not understand that they’re being scolded, or do they just not care? Can they learn, like dogs can? If they don’t understand what “No!” means, how do you teach them to not do things? Yes, my cats understand most of the time, sometimes they just choose to ingnore me. They know the words food, poof (soft food), treats, kiss, hug. One gives me five if i say give me five or give me paw. when they climb up where they aren’t supposed to be. if i say no, they will try to ignore it and as soon as i start counting, they whine and get down. lol. if i talk to them they respond back most of the time. they also know commands like sit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cats-understand-speech-like-dogs-do/460091.md?page=3)