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Cat Linguistics
Just recently, there was a notice in the newspaper that a cat was lost
(terrible news). The notice said that the cat would recognize its name - Felix. Is that really possible? Back when I was a kid, we had a cat named "Candy," and he always answered to his name when we called him. He'd come running in from the bush any time we called (expecting food, naturally). One day I decided to try an experiment to see if he REALLY recognized his name and I called "Ipswitch," using the normal tone we used when calling him. Sure enough, he came hurrying out. Hmm. Argo http://greenrealm.blogspot.com (a science fantasy) |
#2
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Cat Linguistics
Just recently, there was a notice in the newspaper that a cat was lost
(terrible news). The notice said that the cat would recognize its name - Felix. Is that really possible? Back when I was a kid, we had a cat named "Candy," and he always answered to his name when we called him. He'd come running in from the bush any time we called (expecting food, naturally). One day I decided to try an experiment to see if he REALLY recognized his name and I called "Ipswitch," using the normal tone we used when calling him. Sure enough, he came hurrying out. Hmm. Whenever you call him in, did you only call him when he was being invited in for food? It's possible he simply associated your voice with food and so even if you shouted 'old flea bag' he would have come running. |
#3
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Cat Linguistics
Argo wrote:
Just recently, there was a notice in the newspaper that a cat was lost (terrible news). The notice said that the cat would recognize its name - Felix. Is that really possible? Back when I was a kid, we had a cat named "Candy," and he always answered to his name when we called him. He'd come running in from the bush any time we called (expecting food, naturally). One day I decided to try an experiment to see if he REALLY recognized his name and I called "Ipswitch," using the normal tone we used when calling him. Sure enough, he came hurrying out. Hmm. That's my experience too. Call them whatever you want and they'll still come as long as you do it in the right tone. We've got one cat called Isobelle and she gets called Issy, Bez, Bezzy, Boo, Boozle etc. and she doesn't seem confused. I mistook her for our other cat once and called her Toby and she still came. -- http://www.ollieclark.com/acronyms.html |
#4
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Cat Linguistics
"Ollie Clark" wrote in message ... Argo wrote: Just recently, there was a notice in the newspaper that a cat was lost (terrible news). The notice said that the cat would recognize its name - Felix. Is that really possible? Back when I was a kid, we had a cat named "Candy," and he always answered to his name when we called him. He'd come running in from the bush any time we called (expecting food, naturally). One day I decided to try an experiment to see if he REALLY recognized his name and I called "Ipswitch," using the normal tone we used when calling him. Sure enough, he came hurrying out. Hmm. That's my experience too. Call them whatever you want and they'll still come as long as you do it in the right tone. We've got one cat called Isobelle and she gets called Issy, Bez, Bezzy, Boo, Boozle etc. and she doesn't seem confused. I mistook her for our other cat once and called her Toby and she still came. My mother has two nearly identical brother cats from the same litter; one time, I mistakenly called Sam "Tiger" and he made a funny little noise as if he was saying "I beg your pardon, I'm the other one." But that's probably just me anthropromorphizing; perhaps the noise just meant that I'd started him or "what do you want?".... Rhino |
#5
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Cat Linguistics
Our two cats definitely recognize their own names. For example, if both
are just sitting nearby, I can softly say one's name and only that guy will look up, or vice versa. One guy hardly ever talks and the other almost never stops. When I say his name, he always looks at me and says, "Yes?" In cat, of course. |
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