How to talk to your cat: Tips from animal behaviour experts

There’s a reason why people often say that cats love to follow their paths. They often don’t respond to their owners’ calls, blatantly ignoring them and doing what they think is best. So, how should you talk to them so they’ll listen? Pay attention to one detail.

What’s the best way to communicate with pets? Many people believe that communicating with cats is not simple because it seems they don’t understand much. Scientists at the Animal Behavior Laboratory in Bar Harbor have proven that it’s not as bad as it seems. What’s important is not only the words we direct at them but especially how we do it.

You can call them endlessly, and they will come to you only when they find it beneficial. Although many cats respond to "here kitty-kitty," sometimes even that doesn’t help. According to scientists from Bar Harbor, the timbre of our voice also matters. The intonation of our words is also significant.

Hearing anger in our voice, they are perfectly aware that we are upset for some reason. Maybe we want to punish them somehow when they come to us.

On the other hand, if we are relaxed and calm when we call our pet, they might think that we want to play with them or give them food.

If you want your cat to come to you every time you call, it’s worth showing them it’s fully beneficial. Rewarding them with their favourite treat, toy, or petting doesn't hurt. Sometimes, even that doesn’t help. In this case, you can use your secret weapon: food.

Felines are usually huge gluttons who will do almost anything for food. So when they don’t respond to our call, you can open a food pouch near them or tap on the bowl they usually eat from. This trick should attract the cat like a magnet.