Have some animals the ability to understand what I am saying?

Question

When I say "food" then my cat is standing attention.

Answer 1

Yes, some more the others.

My cat knows the words:

Treat
Wet food
Food
Outside
No
Max (his name)

Answer 2

I think they do. I use to have a black lab and she knew what a hot dog was. If you said any thing with the word dog in it she was standing by the refrigerator wanting a hot dog. If you even said "do you want a" she knew what you were talking about.

If I went out on the patio and she had been sleeping in her dog-loo she'd come out and look at me all sleepy. I tell her to go back to beddy and she would. I could hear her walking around in a circle and then I'd hear a thump, her laying back down.

So may answer is yes, I believe they do.

Answer 3

They can certainly learn words. How else could you train a dog and say 'sit' and the dog sits? it's not their ability to understand what you are saying, you have conditioned the cat so that it knows a specific cue means that it will get a reward (or punishment, depending on your training method).

Answer 4

Parrots have an uncanny ability to understand human language and be able to communicate with it. African Greys seem to be the breed that have this ability of cognitive understanding the best of all parrot breeds. Just research Alex the grey that Dr. Irene Pepperburg has been working with for over 20 years. He will amaze you.
My african grey knows much of what I am saying to him and he also can commincate to me his needs with human language. Such as he will tell me "make ni-ni" when he is ready for bed. He will say "want some brek" when he wants his breakfast...and many, many, many more things he can say and do.

Answer 5

thats because it has learnt the word means it gets food, if you said dog every time you fed it the cat would do the same thing.
only animals like great apes and primates have the ability to understand language.

Answer 6

I do belive aniimails can understand what we say,if i say the word washing infront of the dog,she sings,as she know she is getting out into the garden to where the washing line is,when i say food she sits and looks at me,when i say post she knows we have to go out down the garden to the letter box,so she will sing to that,

Answer 7

Yes,Well kind of.You see that some animals like cats and dogs could understand if you train them.For example if you're pet cat doesn't do what you're saying, if you just train them or kind use you're hands to do a kind of hand language they might understand and if you just train for a while they could understand what you're saying!!

Answer 8

Yes they can..to certain extents. You speak to them in certain tones of voice when you ask them something...then give it to them..they will learn to relate to this. For instance when you teach your dog to "speak"...have a treat in your hand..hold it up and make sure they see it and say in a certain tone of voice "speak", "speak...it may take a few times...get them a little excited with it..and when they do give out even a little bark ...give them that treat. Continue with the same tone of voice...holding that treat up whenever you want them to speak until they bark. Once you get that all down pat you can say in the same tone of voice" do you love me"? Do you love me? Instead of saying speak. In that same tone of voice you can also ask like "you want a treat??How many??{same tone of voice} and if he barks once...give him that treat and say only one? That can make a visitor think WOW you have a smart dog...he even says how many he wants. It was the tone of voice and just a few words. Eventually they learn and associate different tone of voice and actions to different things. I have 4 dogs. Luke my best buddy I had first. He learned these things easy. He even knew without me saying a word that I was going in the car somewhere. All I did was put on makeup, put on my shoes and he knows and is ready...jumping up and down. He could tell by my foot steps inside the house{and he was outside} that I was going somewhere by listening to which rooms I went into and the more detirmined sound of my steps....He would be at the door waiting for me.He taught my three little dogs this after I got them. They can stand on the outside of the garage door and know what I am doing and what room I am in and if I am going some where and they are ready. The passenger door is where Luke and the pups mother Leah get in the front of the car with me. Her grown pups Odie and Daisey Mae have been taught they get in the rear passenger side door next and wait their turn. When I am ready to go home they run right for the car and know whats what.They know they are not to get in front. My cats are pretty good at things to like that. Even a horse is taught commands and learns the words...yet each animal may learn these things in different ways. Kepp working at it and you will see. Have a good one.

Answer 9

animals cant understand what we are saying, but they do learn that certain words mean certain things, for example when you feed your cats you say the word food, so they begin to realise that the word food is associated to them being fed.
hope this helps.

Answer 10

Yes animals learn to assiciate sounds with events so in that sense they know what words mean.