Vocabulary

FWIW and if anybody is interested, I've identified at least parts of
Leila's vocabulary. She knows the words "Leila" and "cat," of course
(and thinks "silly" is an endearment). She also knows "No!" "Get outta
that!" and "Get down from there!"- but she firmly disagrees that any of
the latter three phrases should ever be applied to a Cat named Leila.

Baird

--
As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods-
They kill us for their sport.
-Gloster, in _Lear_

"Baird Stafford" wrote in message
...
FWIW and if anybody is interested, I've identified at least parts of
Leila's vocabulary. She knows the words "Leila" and "cat," of
course
(and thinks "silly" is an endearment). She also knows "No!" "Get
outta
that!" and "Get down from there!"- but she firmly disagrees that any
of
the latter three phrases should ever be applied to a Cat named
Leila.

Baird

Molly seems to think that human speech is just our manner of
expressing frustration.

Jake has a better vocabulary, but seldom chooses to use it.

Kayla teaches us we must watch what we say lest we hurt someone's
feelings. I can manage her at least as well with hand signals as I
can with words anyway.

Jo

"Baird Stafford" wrote in message

FWIW and if anybody is interested, I've identified at least parts of
Leila's vocabulary. She knows the words "Leila" and "cat," of course
(and thinks "silly" is an endearment). She also knows "No!" "Get
outta that!" and "Get down from there!"- but she firmly disagrees
that any of the latter three phrases should ever be applied to a Cat
named Leila.

Shmogg seemed to perfectly understand anything I said to him. That didn't of
course mean he reacted to what I was saying in the way I wanted him to, but
I'm pretty sure he knew what I was saying. There was times where I could
swear he was giving me the feline equivalent of either teenage "What-*ever*"
or even the finger when I was scolding him. He could be quite eerie like
that.

Of the current crew, Pickle certainly responds favourably to his name but
these days is generally outside so we don't get to 'chat'. I'm increasingly
sure that Shadow's name isn't "Shadow" because although her ears twitch and
she looks at me when I say it, her face seems to tell me "I understand that
you, as a mere human, *think* my name is Shadow, and I'll acknowledge your
existance when you say it, but you've got it wrong,".

Suki doesn't care what we say to her, she jsut wants luvvin's.

Fluffy understands "Fluffy", "Floober" and "Booberfluff", "Good Girl",
"Sit", "Lie down", "Off" and "Out". She may or may not understand "Move" and
"Drop it" depending on what she's doing at the time.

Yowie
--
If you're paddling upstream in a canoe and a wheel falls off, how many
pancakes can you fit in a doghouse? None, icecream doesn't have bones.

"Yowie" wrote in message
...
"Baird Stafford" wrote in message

FWIW and if anybody is interested, I've identified at least parts of
Leila's vocabulary. She knows the words "Leila" and "cat," of course
(and thinks "silly" is an endearment). She also knows "No!" "Get
outta that!" and "Get down from there!"- but she firmly disagrees
that any of the latter three phrases should ever be applied to a Cat
named Leila.

Shmogg seemed to perfectly understand anything I said to him. That didn't
of course mean he reacted to what I was saying in the way I wanted him to,
but I'm pretty sure he knew what I was saying. There was times where I
could swear he was giving me the feline equivalent of either teenage
"What-*ever*" or even the finger when I was scolding him. He could be
quite eerie like that.

Of the current crew, Pickle certainly responds favourably to his name but
these days is generally outside so we don't get to 'chat'. I'm
increasingly sure that Shadow's name isn't "Shadow" because although her
ears twitch and she looks at me when I say it, her face seems to tell me
"I understand that you, as a mere human, *think* my name is Shadow, and
I'll acknowledge your existance when you say it, but you've got it
wrong,".

Suki doesn't care what we say to her, she jsut wants luvvin's.

Fluffy understands "Fluffy", "Floober" and "Booberfluff", "Good Girl",
"Sit", "Lie down", "Off" and "Out". She may or may not understand "Move"
and "Drop it" depending on what she's doing at the time.

Yowie
--
If you're paddling upstream in a canoe and a wheel falls off, how many
pancakes can you fit in a doghouse? None, icecream doesn't have bones.

Waffles and Pickles both know their names. Waffles definitely understands
"No!" and I think Pickles does too. When Waffles looks as though he'd like
to jump in my lap, I'll pat my lap and tell him it's okay. He usually
ignores that, but if I nod my head, he often jumps up. Other times, I say,
"Come on up." He generally doesn't, but if I then say "Please", he'll often
come up. I guess it really is the magic word.


--

Joy

No amount of time can erase the memory of a good cat, and no amount of
masking tape can ever totally remove his fur from your couch. - Leo Dworken

Baird Stafford wrote:
FWIW and if anybody is interested, I've identified at least parts of
Leila's vocabulary. She knows the words "Leila" and "cat," of course
(and thinks "silly" is an endearment). She also knows "No!" "Get outta
that!" and "Get down from there!"- but she firmly disagrees that any of
the latter three phrases should ever be applied to a Cat named Leila.

Baird


Sam understands 'NO!!' and 'IN!' (Said when he's trying to sneak past me
and out into the street). He might know 'DOWN!', but I doubt it.

However, like most cats, he doesn't think that an action that elicited
'NO!!!' the last million times he tried it in my sight will (or perhaps
should) elicit 'NO!!!' this time.

Cheryl

Tiger understands "lunch" (to mean any snack), "get down" (when he puts
his front paws on the table), "no" (sometimes ignored), and his name.
Amber responds to her name, and "lunch". She also knows what "do you
want some more?" means.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

"Baird Stafford" wrote in message
...
FWIW and if anybody is interested, I've identified at least parts of
Leila's vocabulary. She knows the words "Leila" and "cat," of course
(and thinks "silly" is an endearment). She also knows "No!" "Get outta
that!" and "Get down from there!"- but she firmly disagrees that any of
the latter three phrases should ever be applied to a Cat named Leila.

Baird

I think it's fascinating. And I'm betting you catch different inflections
and tones in her communication and know what they mean.

Sneaker knows lots of words, but then we've been together for 18 years so
he's had time to associate words and their meanings. My favorite is
"spidey". If I call ":Sneaker, spidey", he comes running to where I am and
starts searching the baseboards and corners for spiders.
Karla

Cheryl wrote:

Sam understands 'NO!!' and 'IN!' (Said when he's trying to sneak past me
and out into the street). He might know 'DOWN!', but I doubt it.

Smudge knows "It's OK, Smudge", said in almost any tone of voice. That
is, it's the words, not the tone (or even the speaker - it doesn't have
to be me) that she responds to. She immediately relaxes when she hears
that. She also knows "Wanna go out?"

Roxy knows "uh-uh-uh!" (said in a very sharp and staccato voice) - that
means "back off" and she usually does, amazingly!

Licky knows his name. Whenever I call him, wherever he is, he comes
running. It's so cute.

--
Joyce ^..^

To email me, remove the XXX from my user name.

Karla wrote:

Sneaker knows lots of words, but then we've been together for 18 years so
he's had time to associate words and their meanings. My favorite is
"spidey". If I call ":Sneaker, spidey", he comes running to where I am and
starts searching the baseboards and corners for spiders.

Wow, that's great!

--
Joyce ^..^

To email me, remove the XXX from my user name.

"Baird Stafford" wrote in message
...
FWIW and if anybody is interested, I've identified at least parts of
Leila's vocabulary. She knows the words "Leila" and "cat," of course
(and thinks "silly" is an endearment). She also knows "No!" "Get outta
that!" and "Get down from there!"- but she firmly disagrees that any of
the latter three phrases should ever be applied to a Cat named Leila.


My cats know their names and "want to go out?" and "no" and "hungry?"
They probably understand "get down from there" but usually pretend they
don't.
My dogs understood a much wider vocabulary I think. Or maybe they didn't
and cats just choose to ignore.

Tweed