Your Cats Can Tell When You’re Speaking to Them

Talking to your cat is normal. A new study suggests that feline friends are actually listening.

House cats were subjected to recordings of their owner or a stranger talking to them. Similar to baby talk, cat- directed speech is higher pitched and may have short phrases. The team found that cats reacted differently to their owner speaking in cat-directed speech than they did to a stranger speaking in adult tones.

Much less is known about the findings in cats compared to dogs. Some people still consider cats independent, even though they can have a real relationship with cats. She says that people shouldn't be ashamed of using a special tone for cats.

Cat owners were recorded saying phrases such as "Do you want to play?" or "Do you want a treat?" The researchers played each cat a series of recordings of its owner and other owners talking. The cats were rated on the magnitude of their reactions to the speech.

Although cats have a reputation for ignoring their owners, a growing body of research shows that cats pay close attention to humans. Vitale says that cats can learn a lot about vocalizations. The study was small and could be expanded to other cat populations in the future.

Cats have a right to decide if they don't want to interact, even if they understand what we're talking about.