Do you have one cat who hangs on your every word and another who seems to coast through life without understanding a thing? Every cat has a unique personality, but do they also range in intelligence or ability to understand humans?
In this article, we’ll talk about how intelligence is linked to cat breed, upbringing, and more. We’ll also talk about how you can teach human language to your cat, and whether some cats are smarter than others when it comes to understanding human language.
Do Some Cats Understand Humans Better Than Others?
There’s no doubt that some cats understand humans better than others. For instance, street cats who’ve never interacted with people will know very little, if any, English. Cats who’ve lived in a loving home their entire lives, being spoken to every day, will naturally pick up on more words.
That said, do some cats have less ability to understand language? That’s anyone’s guess!
Upbringing and Language Learning
It seems that the biggest factor when it comes to language learning is a cat’s upbringing and how much interaction they’ve had with people.
Cats can likely learn human language at any time throughout their lives, but learning new things tends to be easiest in kittenhood. That said, we don’t have any formal studies on how age impacts a cat’s ability to pick up on new human language.
We do know that they have a key socialization period that occurs from two to seven weeks old, and that this greatly impacts their ability to trust and form connections with people even into adulthood.
Another factor when it comes to upbringing is if the cat lives with people who speak with them often or who actively try to teach them language. The more effort that’s put in, the more likely the cat will be to learn!
Individual Personalities
The second biggest factor may be a cat’s personality. There are cats who love being around their people and strive to understand them, those who prefer the company of other cats, and those who would usually rather be left alone.
The more human-oriented your cat is, the more likely they are to learn your language. Just like how people are more likely to learn cat body language if they love spending time with their cat!
Some cats may not bother to learn past simple words that impact their daily lives. Everyone wants to know when dinner is, right?
Are Some Cat Breeds Smarter than Others?
There’s some debate over whether purebred cats are any smarter than mixed breeds, also known as domestic shorthairs or longhairs. Some people think there’s a genetic component to cat intelligence, while others think it comes down to personality and upbringing. As with most nature vs nurture debates, it’s likely a mix of both!
Typically, Abyssinians, Siamese cats, and Bengals are considered some of the smartest cat breeds. When we talk about language learning, we might also want to look at the most social or human-oriented breeds, like Siamese or Burmese cats.
On the other hand, Russian Blues and Persians are known for being quite independent, so these cats may have less desire to understand their humans.
That said, every cat is a unique individual with their own personalities and quirks! Without formal studies on the subject, we don’t know for sure if different breeds learn language differently.
Does Coat Color Impact Intelligence?
There’s no formal evidence that coat color impacts personality at all! Some people believe it does, while others don’t.
You may have heard of the joke that orange cats share a single brain cell between them all, or that tortoiseshell cats are sassy and display “tortietude.” There could be a genuine connection here, or it could be confirmation bias. This is when we hear something or have a theory, and subconsciously only take in information that supports that theory.
When you’ve heard that orange cats aren’t intelligent, you might not see all of the ways that your orange cat is smart! Or, you might encourage more sassy behaviors in your tortie without even noticing.
While it’s not impossible that coat color is linked to intelligence, it’s unlikely to have a big impact unless the color or pattern is associated with a specific cat breed.
How to Teach Human Language to Your Cat
As we discussed above, the cats most likely to learn human language are those who’ve been purposefully trained. While speaking to your cat regularly can teach them a lot, a bit of intention can go a long way!
If you want your cat to understand what you’re saying, try to simplify your sentences and use words they’re more likely to comprehend. Staying consistent in your word choice helps as well.
For instance, referring to the same toy as “catnip toy,” “mouse,” and “rat” can be confusing. If you’re consistently calling it “your mouse,” your cat is more likely to understand what you’re referring to.
Use small words when possible, enunciate clearly, and try to choose words that are easy to distinguish from one another.
Another tip is to remove unnecessary words when speaking with your cat. Instead of saying, “You can have your dinner later,” you might say, “Dinner later.”
You can also consider using talking buttons so that your cat can respond to you, though not every cat takes to them. When they do, it can be eye-opening to learn how your cat thinks and processes human language. It can also limit your options and keep your communication simple.
No matter how you teach your cat language, you’ll need to start simply, with words that your cat can easily connect to everyday objects or activities. Once they know the foundations, it’ll be easier to teach them more.
Of course, it’s also important to keep your expectations realistic. It’s unlikely that your cat will understand every word out of your mouth, and it’s also important to put effort into learning their language. This helps us to meet both their physical and emotional needs, which is our job as pet parents!
