# do you baby-talk your pets? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 11, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022 "2013-10-11T20:40:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/41 "2013-10-12T21:36:10Z")
> [@Rushgeekgirl](#): > > Not only do I do baby talk, I meow with my cats and actively encourage my dogs to howl with me. I don’t have cats but I meow at strange cats. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/42 "2013-10-13T03:26:36Z")
I don’t do baby talk as in “aw, who’s da widdle kittie?” kind of thing, but I have a goofy voice that I use and say ridiculous and embarrassing things to my cats all the time. ---
**Author:** ![stoplight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@stoplight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stoplight)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/43 "2013-10-13T03:48:08Z")
never!! not my style…not really my style listening to it either. ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/44 "2013-10-13T03:59:14Z")
Heck no! One of the few remaining examples in my life where I maintain anything that resembles dignity. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/45 "2013-10-13T18:34:25Z")
_He’s a Merlin-cat Meeerlin cat that’s for sure! And he’s meowing like he’s Never meowed before!_ (to the tune of ‘‘Maniac.’’) My cat is a giant baby. I generally treat him like one. ---
**Author:** ![Werekoala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7993a0/32.png) [@Werekoala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Werekoala)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/46 "2013-10-13T19:30:00Z")
Yes, of course. Not only that, but the current Dog of the House (a cockapoo) has between 10 and 15 nicknames (only about half of them mine, the rest from the female of the house)… Jackpot (“given” name). Jack (official day-to-day name). Jack Attack. Just Jack! Jackarino. Dude. Little Dude. Dudelette. Mr. Man. etc. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/47 "2013-10-13T22:26:27Z")
> [@Rushgeekgirl](#): > > Not only do I do baby talk, I meow with my cats and actively encourage my dogs to howl with me. This. Except for the cat thing. Had one dog who was a _great_ howler, he could just belt it out on command. With the current dog, yes, I baby talk and she either loves it or is embarrassed about it or both. It’s, uh… it’s actually pretty bad. No need to recreate it here… :o ---
**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:** [October 13, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/48 "2013-10-13T23:12:00Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > _He’s a Merlin-cat > Meeerlin cat that’s for sure! > And he’s meowing like he’s > Never meowed before!_ > > (to the tune of ‘‘Maniac.’’) > > My cat is a giant baby. I generally treat him like one. I sing a few verses about Shadowcat to the tune of Lollipop. Shadow loves it, and it drives my husband bonkers. ---
**Author:** ![jsutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@jsutter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsutter)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/49 "2013-10-14T04:35:30Z")
Yeah, I used to baby talk animals. I was cured by Sheba, a Great Dane who hung of with a guy I met. He brought me home and introduced me to Sheba. I baby-talked and Sheba gave me a low measured growl. :o What I got was is that no sentient being likes being condescended to. Aloha ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/50 "2013-10-14T17:42:42Z")
Nope. I talk to my cockatiel like a human adult. He doesn’t answer. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/51 "2013-10-14T19:47:34Z")
I wouldn’t say I use “baby talk,” but I do talk both _to_ and _for_ my pets. [Khan](http://s8.photobucket.com/user/Draeleigh/media/Stuff/khan.jpg.html?sort=3&o=22)has a British accent, and [Winchester](http://s8.photobucket.com/user/Draeleigh/media/Stuff/Winchester.jpg.html?sort=3&o=10)sounds like a complete doof. My roommate and I also talk to each other _through_ the dog. (“Winchester, what does Other Mama want for dinner?”) Also, Winchester’s name works perfectly with the title song from _Goldfinger_. He’s the dog, the dog with the waggy butt. He’s just a mutt. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/52 "2013-10-14T19:57:35Z")
OMG, earworm. And I’ve already learned the new lyrics. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/53 "2013-10-14T20:05:42Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > OMG, earworm. And I’ve already learned the new lyrics. 😃 There are alternate lyrics, too. Sometimes he’s the dog with the low-tide breath. One sniff is death. _nod_ I need more hobbies. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/54 "2013-10-14T20:10:05Z")
Crap. I’m sitting at my computer just giggling…everybody _knows_ I’m not working. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/55 "2013-10-14T20:19:23Z")
Glad to know it amuses somebody–the dog couldn’t care less, and my roommate just rolls her eyes. 🙂 Khan’s _Flash Gordon_-theme song doesn’t actually have any lyrics other than his name, because I’m usually laughing too hard to come up with any by the time I’m done with the “aaaaa-aaaaaah!” part. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/56 "2013-10-14T21:30:37Z")
I don’t really do much in the way of cutesy-wutesy high-pitched talking to our two rabbits, but I do use nicknames, occasionally sing songs\*, and ask them rhetorically whether they’re my buddy. And of course I address them as “bunnies” rather than “rabbits.” - Both have reworded versions of South Park songs, one of Butters’ “Lu Lu Lu”, and the other of the song “Mr Hankey, the Christmas Poo” (and no, the new lyrics don’t involve poo). ---
**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:** [October 14, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/57 "2013-10-14T21:36:46Z")
I don’t use baby talk sort of words, I use real words but I’m afraid that I do have a “cat voice” (I’m so ashamed). I tend to call them in a sing-songy, higher pitched voice too. The dogs get treated like intelligent adults, mostly. ---
**Author:** ![Swamp\_Adder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@Swamp\_Adder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swamp_Adder)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/58 "2013-10-15T00:15:47Z")
Yes, I use a little baby talk with my rats. I tried to resist it at first, but they’re such cute little goombahs, I couldn’t help myself. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/59 "2013-10-15T00:38:21Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > And of course I address them as “bunnies” rather than “rabbits.” I forgot one reason we do this - besides their being super-cute, we bought our rabbits only a week after we had to put our last ferret to sleep. We found we kept slipping up and saying “ferret” instead of “rabbit,” but saying “bunny” instead didn’t cause that mistake. Since we kind of winced every time we reminded ourselves of that, we tended to use “bunny” instead. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022/60 "2013-10-15T00:43:24Z")
Hell no. I insult them. They get called buttheads, knotheads, morons, idiots, fuzzbutts, one particular tomcat is “You old bastard”, etc. The dogs think it’s a command when I holler “Butthead express, going out!” (time to potty in the back yard) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-baby-talk-your-pets/671022.md?page=4)