Here is RJ, responding to his name. Of course he knows his name. He knows all his nicknames, too.
He also knows to come into the bedroom when it’s breakfast time, which is an even more sophisticated task. Early on, we knew what he wanted when he bounced onto the foot of the bed, but we are working on his communication, so we pretended we didn’t. We asked him if there was something he wanted to tell us.
This stymied RJ momentarily, and he looked out the bedroom door, to the hall, where Mr. Bond was lurking. Like the parent of a preschooler on Halloween night, Mr. Bond was making sure the message got through. This is a cooperative task between two cats, which is an even higher level of planning and strategy.
When we see this obvious evidence of intelligence, it might seem puzzling that cats don’t come when they are called. But it doesn’t mean they don’t know their names.
Cats don’t come when they are called if they don’t know what will happen if they do.
Cats have a constantly consulted database in their heads that they build their whole lives. Once an entry has gotten into the database, such as, I came when I heard my name called and they crammed this pill down my throat, this entry, with its bad connotations, will come up first. It takes many, many entries like, I came when I heard my name called and got a fishy treat! to make up for it.
Before we can even start any new entries in the cat database, we have to get the cat to come when called again. Good luck with that.
Unlike dogs, cats have no hierarchy of leadership, or compulsion to obey. That is why their name behavior is so different from dogs. Maybe outside, off-leash, or when they know it’s bathtime, maybe then dogs will pretend they didn’t hear us. But in the house, dogs always come, because that is their nature.
It is not in the cat’s nature. They have the cat database, with a constant reminder of what might have happened when they are called. Even if the answer, from the cat’s point of view, is nothing, that is not a sufficient reward for dislodging themselves from a lovely nap or tearing themselves away from a window. If they have any bad memories of coming when their name is called, that is a trigger for avoidance.
So don’t trick them to their detriment. They will remember. It’s okay to confuse them, or get them to think, or make them realize something new, if they get a reward of some sort for it. But we cannot use their names, their special many names, to do anything they wouldn’t want.
That would be a betrayal.
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my cat always comes when i call it. it just comes natural to them
I totally agree. Marley our female cat has a certain way of doing things she will often sleep on our bed, but other times she will sleep on her own bed next to ours, there is a complex reason behind this and many more things she does that I can’t quite fathom, but I know it involves strategies and planning!!
.-= Carolyn Harris´s last blog ..books about cats =-.
I just saw this because one of my co-workers wondered if our office cats know their names. One comes when you call him, the other doesn’t. My cats at home (two of them) always come when you call them. In fact, they’re glued to my side most of the time. My dog, on the other hand, does whatever she wants. So three out of my four cats come when you call them. HOWEVER, that being said, there is a slight delayed response with two out of three of them. Just sayin’ – cats do come when you call them. At least mine do.
My cat comes when ever I call hey by her nmae daisy or her nick name meow-meow. Even if she is out side I just have too call her name and she comes runnning and I’ve never rewarded her to come and she loves to hunt outside! My cat is extreamly smart!
My cat and the cats we’ve had in the past have all usually turned their heads to look if you call their names, but hardly ever ‘come a runnin’.
When we shake the treat bag; stampede!
My cat comes right when i call her name,. she will also come if i whistle for her! She is remarkably intelligent,she will also sit on command and roll over. I have been training her ever since she was a kitten she never leaves my side she follows me everywhere i go shes my sidekick!
my husband and i adopted a three month old kitten from the animal shelter down the street from our new home about four months ago. he’s seven months old now, and he’s so smart! he comes whenever we call him, and he even answers our questions. i will ask him, “tarzan, do you want a treat?” and he will run to the kitchen and sit on the floor rug until i come up to him with a treat and he will meow. if he does not want one, he will lay down and start purring. it’s so amazing how smart our little one is. we feed him three times a day because he was deathly skinny when we got him& he’s finally up to his desirable weight, and when it’s breakfast time, he will run into my bedroom& if i ask him, “food time, tarzan?” he will meow and run into the kitchen by his food bowl. it’s strange, but he will even do tricks for his treats! he knows how to: meow, sit, lay down, high five, and gives kisses. he’s learning how to roll over too:) i love my little tarzan!
He sounds absolutely adorable. I can guess how he got his name
Daisy is the 1st cat I’ve ever had that comes when she’s called. I suspect the little emotional thrill I get every time she rewards me by coming is her reward also.
I have three kitties myself. They all respond to their names individually. i have, on countless occasions got all three of the kittys to respond individually durings feedings and/or mass petting lol
sagan has a keen nose he comes when smeeling to him is positive and doesn’t when it is negative
I have 4 cats, and one will respond to her name and when I whistle, but the other 3 will only flick their ears or turn and look at me, but they will hardly ever budge
Not so sure about the cats statement. I had a siamese I named Artemis. He came immeadiately when I called. Or just snapped my fingers. I’d snap my fingers and give him a thumbs up and he’d sit up on his hind legs. Of course I had him for near 15 years. Just depends on how much time you’re willing to spend with them.