[nerdjon]

I am both surprised and not surprised by this.

It does kinda make sense, I have 2 cats (from the same litter and have been together their entire lives. 14 yo now). They each clearly respond to their name and not their brothers name. Or at least respond differently, but I have noticed they look up sometimes if I call one and not the other (but won't run up to me). I have long though it was them responding to the "pet voice" that we all seem to use. But if this was the case that explains it better.

[phkahler]

My can knows the names of all family members and can sometimes respond appropriately to "where's mom, go find mom". This is of course only if she wants something and came to me for it.

[nerdjon]

I have definitely noticed that. The cat I had growing up we had a close bond. He stayed with my parents though when I moved out. Any time I was coming to visit my parents would mention my name and he would perk up. I don't think it is tied to anything I gave him because I wasn't really taking care of him, I was rarely the one that fed him. He just slept on my bed and we spent a lot of time together.

So there has to be some understanding there of... something. I am curious what they internalize it as.

On the flip side I have to wonder. I live alone. My cats have very rarely actually heard my name. I would be very surprised if they had any concept of what my name was. But if they don't, do they think something different. It is interesting.

[bombcar]

I wonder if they pick it up by what draws your attention - so they may assume your name is texting sound or phone ring if that's all they ever see you react directly to.

[nerdjon]

huh I didn't think about that. I think we can fairly safely assume that them knowing their name is not an understanding of language and is just a recognition of a sound. At least based on any research that has been able to be done.

So that would make sense in a way. And does lead to some... funny thoughts on what they may think my name is.

[fy20]

Isn't that all names are anyway? Of course some people have names that mean other things, like say River, but you don't need to understand any language to know your name.

[nerdjon]

True, I think more. As a human even if I hear a name in another language I still fundamentally understand that it is language.

Where I have to wonder if for a cat, I could train them to have a sound I play on their phone to be their name for all they care (kinda going back to them possibly thinking a ringtone could be my name). It's still just a sound that they are responding to not a word.

Maybe like you said though, the difference doesn't matter. Maybe even as humans while we understand that a name is language it is still something else entirely? I don't know, that is a realm of cognitive study I know nothing about. But it is fascinating.

[baersandbowlszs]

This happened to me too! After I left for school and work, the cat would consistently start sleeping on my old bed a few days before I would return to visit, something that she never did under normal circumstances.

We think that she must have heard and understood when my parents talked about upcoming visits, but it's always hard to tell with cats. Maybe she was picking up on emotions instead of words, or maybe she was psychic.

[personlurking]

The other day on Reddit [1] there was a video of farm animals reacting to their names, but I think it's just responding to the "pet voice", or rather to their food provider vocalizing in their direction.

1 - https://www.reddit.com/r/TikTokCringe/comments/uq5yjo/animal...

[kaba0]

I think this is true for some of the pets (e.g. many birds are quite dumb), but pigs are one of the most intelligent mammals, and cows are not dumb either.