Do cats understand English?

Question

Earlier on i had to feed my friends cats for him while he is away attending a funeral, when i got there the cats were miowing for food, but i told them it was too early yet and to come back in two hours.

EXACTLY 2 hours later they came in through the catflap! how did they know that????

Answer 1

They can READ YOUR MIND

they are psychic

Answer 2

I have to disagree with those who say cats can't understand English like we do. Cats and dogs, so I have read, have a similar intelligence to an average three year old child, although some of my pets would regard that as an outrageous insult, I'm sure. My cat knows her name and has conversations with my husband and me in which she always has to have the last word. She uses different tones for different things and definitely sometimes has an abrupt, angry "miaow!"

Answer 3

LOL cats are creatures of habit. If your friend told you what time they eat. They know. They have this innate thing for time. My cats know when it is time to be fed in the morning and night. The know my bed time and when I get up. They are great little beings.
I don't think language has anything to do with it. It is just what language it is use to. When the pandas came over from China. they did not understand what the trainers were saying when it was time to eat. They had to have the Chinese trainers work with them so the Pandas could learn what was going on. Funny.

Answer 4

Ozzy, you're sick pal, you need help. I certainly hope you're just kidding...because I have a problem with anyone who would abuse animals or actually DOES abuse them.


As for what words cats understand..Their name(even though they don't always come when you call them), food, litterbox, hello, pet, pretty, good cat, no....Tika seems to understand me when I use those words with her. But cats usually understand the sound, tone, and volume of your voice. That is also how they can tell what kind of mood you're in, or if you need some friendship or consoling...which some cats are great for!

Answer 5

My cat often asks for his dinner too early if someone is in the house, but tell him it is too soon and he wanders off. It is probably something in the tone of voice and a certain word or words repeated like 'too soon' which they come to recognise. I doubt if they know what two hours means!

Answer 6

Don't credit them with any talent - I think they went away because the food didn't appear - nothing else to hang around for. Probably went through next door's cat flat to help themselves then took a dump on their garden.

Answer 7

Their timing was right-on. Yes, cats DO understand English, or any other language they are brought up around. Whatever language is most commonly spoken around any household, an animal will learn to understand. One might say they are multi-lingual!

Answer 8

I think they do understand but I dont think they can tell the time

they can hear the slightest movements so if you'd opened the draw the food was in they'd be back in a shot

Answer 9

I think they do and they can tell time.

I went to my boyfriends house and the cat was waiting for him, i said to it he wont be back until 6 so it went upstairs to sleep. It then came back down at 5.55 and sat at the front door waiting.

I was really freaked out!!!

Answer 10

cats understand what you are saying and they try to lip read too well most cats can do this and they also can go by the tone of your voice too

Answer 11

i think that depending on their home environment and keepers that they can understand english but very limited. the same few words that they hear regularly such as their name, NO, dinner, clever boy etc they always seem to respond to. their hearing sense is clearly very good in my opinion, our cat always jumps up and dashs to the front door on hearing someone come in, long before i hear them!