DO CATS UNDERSTAND?

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20496, 22 February 1930, Page 4 (Supplement)

DO CATS UNDERSTAND?

From JEAN NORTH. Halsly Drivo, Avondnle South, Auckland (ago 13). " Do cats understand ? " This is a question wo often ask of ono another. Well, I really believe cats do. Why not? Cats arc domestic animals and hear human language spoken daily, so why should they not understand? fjomo people say " Poof, cats don't understand in tho least what you say to them, except, 4 Puss, puss,' so why speak to (hem?" To prove that cats do understand what you say, I will relate to my readers an incident which occurred several weeks ago- . One clay I was sitting in the kitchen when in strolled Snowy, a grey and white cat, who was the mother of a jet black kitten who then lay in a shed near the house. As the shed was out of Snowy's hearing, I thought I would see if she really did understand ine, so I said to her, gazing into her eyes, " Snowy, dear, your kitty is calling you." " Meow." she answered and looked up at mo with beseeching eyes. I repeated tho words again. She uttered another " Meow " and trotted off out of tho room. Waiting a while, I crept after her and saw her disappearing through tho shed door. No wonder I believe that cats understand what you say!