I have conversations with my cats all the time and I honestly think he understands at least 70% of it. they have great inflection and comedic timing.
this post was submitted on 23 Nov 2025
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They most definitely do. My boy "answers" questions when using the right inflection, every time. Apart from that, I pour my heart out to them. They're the best listeners in the world, and they keep you warm to boot.
I talk to cats as well. They may not understand everything you say, but they know that your talking specifically to them and they can understand some things like praise or rebukement by tone and inflection. They also probably pick up common words, and they regularly talk back when you pause for a response. They're living, thinking beings that operate at a higher level than many people realize.
I'm convinced that humans are so good at communicating/language that other animals can definitely figure out meanings and some words.
Sadly no other animal seems to have the same talent we do.
Reminds me of watching tv shows when I don't understand the language. I still watch original VA + subtitle because the emotions conveyed in the voice is irreplacible. I don't under the voice, but I can feel the voice.
It's probably not a stretch to say that our aptitude at language is a major major part for our evolutionary success. It was probably bound to happen that one among the first few species that got as good at language as we are, would eventually dominate the world
I saw some article years ago that found dogs cant, or at least have a hard time differentiating between consonant sounds in words; for example the word ‘outside’ might sound the same as ‘grout-side’ or ‘shout-wide’, just because they rhyme.
After some fun experiments, I found that to be true with my dogs, and my vocabulary with them has devolved into some really silly shit that makes me cackle, but would probably make others question my sanity a little..
+ bonus points for the silly voices
TIL dogs speak rhyming slang
It's so funny. I don't think I've ever taught a dog our rituals. They always taught me. The most endearing one, I think, was my soul dog who passed in '21. When I came home she'd bring me her Kong with a wildly wagging tail. I'd hold out my hand and she'd drop it there, but she fully expected me to give it back. Once done, the greeting was complete, and she'd lay at my feet.
God I miss that dog.
Talk to them like they understand what the fuck I'm on about
Yes, I sing to my pets
All the time! I love to sing little snippets of songs with their names swapped in. To the tune of Whatever Lola Wants
Whatever [pet name] wants, [pet name] gets, don't you know you, can't win?
Or just something to describe what they're doing. Big fan of Been caught stealing by Alice in Chains for that
Every morning my spunkier cat greets me in the bathroom and we quack at each other until one of us gets tired of it.
I got my cat during the covid lockdown, around the same time I decided to refresh my French with the downtime. Now I have a french cat.
How do you say "Pspspspss" in French?
"Viens ici!" or "Viens ici, s'il te plaît!" if you're being proper.
"Minouminouminou!" if you're being Cajun, where a cat is a minou and "Meow" is also minou.
Yeah my dogs like when I make up stupid songs and make a fool of myself dancing. My deaf one does this head wobble thing and when I do it back she wobbles more vigorously and gets excited.
Yes. My cats are my children.
We have a purple tang named Prince because my wife always sings "purple tang... Purple tang" to him.
Our midas blenny and firefish are collectively known as "b-b-b-blenny and the jets" for the same reason.
I love it! Ive been giggling for a solid minute at these names.
Edit- Ive been singing Blenny and the Jets for almost 10 minutes now. This is the new normal. Its imprinted.
Some of the others:
Magnificent foxface, who has a spiny mohawk, is Sid Fishious. The yellow headed goby who sifts sand and makes tunnels is Diggy Stardust. Flame Hawkfish is named Bandito after the Song. Basslet named Grohl, for Dave Groll of Nirvana/Foo Fighters. Blue headed goby is named Steve but we never slecified which Steve; he shares a tunnel in a symbiotic relationship with a Pistol shrimp who is named Sex, obviously. An arrow crab besrs the moniker Aero with a silent Smith.
Curiously, we have not named the cleaner wrasse or the two cleaner shrimp. I did just have the idea to name the wrasse Car Wash and the cleaner shrimp could be Rose and Royce.
Does anyone not?
I hold conversations with my pets all the time. And sometimes I sing to them while sometimes I sing with them. Doing harmony with my husky is tricky, but fun.
I have full on conversations with my cats. They don't disagree with me!
I have a snail named Herbert. He is a Mystery Snail and I love him dearly. I didn't think Id form such an attachment to a snail, but here we are. Every day when i get home from work, I put my hand on the glass of his tank and talk to Herbert. Just talking about my day or whatever. He doesn't seem to mind and generally hangs out on the glass around my hand. I know Herbert probly doesn't even know im there most of the time but it doesn't mater. Talking to him helps me and I will continue to do it... At least until i get some more snails/shrimp/fish, then they will have to endure my talks as well. Muahahahhaha
My Yorkie really likes "krusty kraaaaaab, pizza, is the pizza for you and meeeee."
Last time I sang to my cat, she hissed and walked away.
Absolutely.
I read a study years ago that concluded that dogs love baby talk, so I give them what they want.
"Stupid cats need the most attention."
Was watching TV with the dog next to me on the couch. A song I like came on and I sang along and my dog stared at me in amazement. Since then, she doesn't care when I sing. I think it was just a one time surprise.
I absolutely sing to my deaf cat.
I've been talking to my cats in Japanese as practice a lot of the times, although I'm very much a beginner so it's pretty basic. I think they don't understand me, but they also might just be refusing to understand "wait 15 minutes" before they can eat lol
I argue with our guinea pigs when they demand their cookie (hay+vitamin C tablets with molasses for a binder) before 5:00pm.
I insist that they can see the clock from where their enclosure is, so they should know what time it is.
Yes, it's super cathartic and fun.
My dog and I mostly have normal conversations but sometimes he gets in moods and is just goofy.
Why have pets if you can't be silly with them? I have full conversations with them (my kittens are vocal so I don't have to pretend as hard)
I have a bunny named Felix. He likes to lick things, so I called him "Licky Bun" for a bit, that turned in to "Felicky", which turned into "Licky" and finally "Licker".
When I come downstairs to work in the mornings, I when I walk by his enclosure and whisper "lickerrrrrr". The other day my partner told me they hear this every morning, and it's like an alarm lock.
My partner dances and sings for our cats. They love it.
Yes, of course. And I am deeply suspicious of anyone who doesn't sing silly little songs to their pets.
Occasionally I get in to a whistling mode, as we all do. One day as I did, Yanni-kitty was in the area and came rushing up, squeaking up a little squeak-storm. Sadly, she's passed on now, but I look back fondly of our many, pleasant little 'duets'... a counterpoint of whistles and squeaks, if you will.
And then Bunny (her fleece as white as snow), she was a great goalkeeper. We would situate at either end of a long hallway, and my job was to speedily roll and hop pennies past her, in order to score a 'goal.' To her credit, she had a ~99% save rate.
But in general, here's a song I enjoy singing to my pets:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyxuFUiNPPE
(Funnily enough, I first heard it on Futurama, on the Bender's origin story ep!)