im asking because my friend tells her cat 2 shut up when he crys for food ... she feed him but he rushed 2 eat and 5 min later he acts like he never ate , hes really fat , anyways , she says shut up and he stops crying and just go on and play or go 2 sleep ..... do they understand shut up?
2007-07-15 07:37:46 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
if she says it in a harsh tone he probably interprets this as something bad so he leave and tell your frend to watch her kitties weight please!
THX, hope this helps bi!
2007-07-15 07:42:44 · answer #1 · answered by Courtneyyy♥ 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Words are just sounds to them, so no they don't understand words we use unless we use the same pattern of behavior all the time.
You can have his behavior change by making adjustments that make sense to both the person and the cat. Right now all he's getting is a loud noise from the owner when food is around, but he's not making the connection to what it means. I'd look first at whether he's getting enough food. Is the bowl down for 15 minutes, letting him eat his fill? Is it down all the time but he doesn't like what's in it? Does he do this to get OTHER types of food out of her?
Changing actions at feeding time can solve most of the yelling on both sides. She should call him, get the food, put it down in front of him and say his name as it gets put in front of his nose. Then stroke his sides once or twice, and let him eat till he turns away from the bowl (15 to 20 minutes). Take the bowl up and don't put it down againfor 4 hours.
When it's time, call him, put the bowl down again, do the whole process. This gets him used to a new routine and he will pick it up very fast. No food should be given between times, he will learn that only the food call, and the little ritual between them with the petting & bowl going away is now the normal thing.
If he keeps yelling, do something completely different like get the brush and groom him. Or pull out some toys and toss them for him to play. By doing the 'stupid owner' thing, his meows will only mean certain things at certain times. There's no need to do any yelling at him. They do learn new routines pretty fast. He also will be picking up on voice inflection more than the words, and will respond to tones as well as words.
2007-07-15 11:15:21 · answer #2 · answered by Elaine M 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Animals CAN learn a few words. If they associate the word with an action, of COURSE they understand it. When my cats get on the kitchen counters, I tell them to get down -- and then squirt them with a water pistol. Soon they KNOW what 'get down' means!
However, when a cat meows, it isn't necessarily asking for food. Meowing is how a cat TALKS. To us humans, a meow sounds plaintive, as if the cat is begging for something or has a problem -- but again, it's just how the cat TALKS. The cat could be telling her anything! Instead of telling the cat to shut up (or giving him more food) she should try talking back -- either in English, or by meowing back. It doesn't matter WHAT she says, the cat will enjoy just being talked to!
Your friend needs to learn more about cats and how to communicate with them. Then she might actually start to ENJOY her pet instead of being annoyed by him!
2007-07-15 07:48:02 · answer #3 · answered by luvrats 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No, but if they hear it eveytime they cry and it is in a threatening voice, the next time they hear that they remember it was bad from last time. If you say outside or potty to a dog, they get excited, because they know that when you have said that in the past, you have taken them out immediately after doing it.
So they do not understand the words exactly, but they know from past usages what it implies.
2007-07-15 07:40:27 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If an animal hears something enough, it might respond to the command because he understands it. A cat learns his or her name, so it would make sense that he would learn 'shut up' over a period of time.
2007-07-15 07:40:28 · answer #5 · answered by Beth 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They know some commands I think- ie. "ven aqui!" (Come here in Spanish in a sweet voice," or "OW!" as in stop biting me. This one probably knows shut up- and if he's already fat, she's right, don't give in to the more food nonsense or they will run the house. Furmoms decide what's best, not kitties.
2007-07-15 08:01:00 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
One of my cats does and actually shuts up. The other might understand but just doesn't care.
2007-07-15 10:07:16 · answer #7 · answered by twinsisterwendy 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't really think that's the case.
When I tell my cats to shut up, they usually do. Probably because they are scared of my yelling.
2007-07-15 07:40:28 · answer #8 · answered by Twigg. 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
LOL Tzara. Urmm my cat only meows for food
2016-05-18 03:03:13 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I read somewhere once that cats can understand more words thatn just their name. My Leo understands the words out and water and also come here.
2007-07-15 08:10:26 · answer #10 · answered by Turtle 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not really, but they can be trained to understand what is wanted when those sounds are made, like 'sit' is a sound, but the dog knows that it means please , well...sit.
if trained, that and loud noises can sound agressive and silence animals for 'safety' kind of a 'of course loud means angry or dangorus' instinct
Reft
gtg later
2007-07-15 07:43:04 · answer #11 · answered by Reft 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋