Do You Talk To Your Pets?

My friend thinks I'm nuts because I talk to my cats. I mean, I don't have a full blown conversation with them, but I don't act like they're just stuffed animals that happen to move either.

Do you talk to your pets? Do you think people who talk their pets are a little nutty or no?

Sometimes I wonder if everyone who has a pet isn't at least a little nutty!

I definitely talk to my pup. I have whole conversations, too! I don't respond for him (like Kristoff in Frozen), but I carry on my side of the conversation. My friends sometimes say it's like listening to one side of a phonecall. But he looks at me, perks his ears up, and sometimes talks back with barks and other noises. I like to think he understands. At the very least, I know he understands when I ask him if he's hungry, wants a treat, or wants to go outside!

I typically greet my cat, Wolfy, whenever I see him. He's the type of cat that would walk into a room and meow a couple times to inform us that he's around. So if he's saying hello or complaining, then I'd give him a greeting or ask him what's wrong. But that's the most that I would do.

As for my father... I can't say that he does the same thing. He will have a flat out conversation with the cat. Wolfy often looks confused (which he should be) and my father would rant about his day at work or future decisions. Granted, it helps my father get over things and come up with brilliant ideas. But to talk to a cat about it... It can look kind of crazy, but at least I understand where he's coming from.

So when I see other people talking to their pets, it can be understandable. Sometimes it's pure loneliness, or sometimes they just need to hear themselves think aloud, and that's the best way to do so without looking like a complete crazy person.

I always talk to my pets, and when I had horses, or other livestock; I talked to them also. Even if they don't understand you (and I am not so sure that they don't understand), they are great listeners, and will always seem to be paying attention, and hanging on your every word.
Sometimes, we just need to say things out loud to some other entity; but not everything is appropriate to just discuss, even with friends or family. and you never know what secret might come back to haunt you. However, the family dog (or cat) is always known for their ability to keep all of your secrets, and not judge you for anything that you talk to them about.
And just because my dog is always there, it is easy to talk to him, and Chipper seems to actually understand about everything i say to him, and even most of what i am thinking.

Of course I talk to them. I do have whole conversations. They do understand a lot. What they don't understand in words, they do understand in energy. Energy 'knowing' is huge. We all have it. Dogs live in their 'knowing', they are very close to Source.

I think that when you bond with your four legged family and birds and other's also, there is that connection that links you. Most of my dogs have been telepathic with me. Again, really, that's just normal everyday 'energy', nothing mysterious.

How about when one of them comes to get you when the bacon you put in the microwave dinged and is ready. How crazy would it be NOT to notice and talk with your sweetie that so thoughtfully came to tell you the bacon was ready and you didn't talk with them?

Don't we all have stories, communications? Of course we do. We have the big ones, that we took notice with, and if you tune in so to speak, there are also the everyday small ones.

To me, it's just plain *weird* *not* to talk to our animal family. They tell us much. Everyday. I feel sorry for people not tuned in so they can 'hear'. They miss a lot. Animals are co-creators with us, just like every other living thing on the planet.

Joy, I totally agree with you, and I think it is great to talk with our pets. I can see when Chipper understands me, and also see the puzzlement on his face when he is not quite sure what I am telling him.
Chipper has always slept in bed with me all 10 years of his life, but now that he is older, and we have a tall bed, I have worried that he might roll off in the middle of the night and hurt himself. So, I found a used baby playpen on Craigslist, and set that up for Chipper at the foot of the bed. He is still close to me, but I know that he is safe in there and can't fall out and get hurt.
However, if I put him to bed and don't come right to bed myself, he will climb out and sit in his favorite chair to wait for me. So, I put him to bed at the same time i am going to bed, and always tell him "Goodnight, Chipper". Then he knows it is bedtime, and stays right there until I pick him up and take him back out in the morning.
We both know that he can climb out anytime, but he will always wait until I come and get him.

I have a little dog that I talk to all of the time. I know that some words she understands such as Go outside,,, if she has to do her business, she heads for the door, if not she just looks at me like I am crazy,,,Do you want breakfast?,,, she heads for the kitchen,,, It is time for bed,,, she heads for my bedroom. A lot of times I just chat with her,, she is a good listener, she never interupts me.

I talk to my dog all the time! My son looks at me like I'm crazy. Dogs are living things, and they may not respond in the human way, but they do respond in their ways. They listen to you, knowing eyes, a cock of the head, a little noise in the throat. They know their owners, feel their pains, it's a sweet, special bond, no person can find anywhere else.

I definitely talk to my cat on a regular basis. It can be comforting sometimes to talk to animal, in the sense that there is no judgment there. Hopefully that does not sound too crazy I feel like she can understand me sometimes. I mean, she responds to her name, my name, and other questions that she is sometimes asked (in the form of meowing, etc.). So I don't think that it would be too far of a stretch to imagine that she has some level of understanding of what I say - or can at least sense the feelings behind it (she always sits with me when I am upset or crying). I think animals are capable of a lot more than some people believe.

I think that people who talk to their pets are often deemed as a little bit nutty - but I don't think that's really the case. Although, I am probably a little bit biased.

I think it would be very rude not to talk to all the members of my family! They talk to me all the time, the least I can do is answer their questions.

"no, you can't eat my candy bar"
"no, you can't get on the counter to lick the butter"
"yes, you can eat the food even though it's been sitting out for more than 2 minutes.
"no, I'm not kicking your sister off the bed so you can have it all to yourself, by the way, I'd like a little room for myself"

I never really thought about it too much, because this is a house full of people who talk to animals all the time! I don't think it's weird at all. I talk to my pets constantly. I especially love that two of my cats will "talk back" to me when I talk to them. I even talk to our 10 chickens. lol

I couldn't NOT talk to my pets. They absolutely love to hear me talk. They may not understand everything I say but they like our conversations with wagging tails and zesty eyes.
I feel sorry for those who think I am crazy because it shows how little animal companionship they have.

You are not crazy! -- and even if you are..it is okay.

Yes i talk to my dog and cats. They listen and know certain words. Some people look strange when i talk to them but pets do listen.

Yes, I talk to my pets all the time. Of course I don't expect them to answer back, but I have noticed that they are responsive to my voice so I like to speak to them because I think it's part of their routine. We "talk" during their meal times and when we have play time. The cats are very affectionate and really seek out human interaction so there are many other small conversations we have throughout the day. I have noticed that if things get quiet for awhile they will sometimes walk into the room I am in and look up and meow once, as if they want to start a conversation.

I have always talked to my pets, just like I would another human being. It may be just a "Hello there, Kitty" as the cat enters the room, or "Good Boy" to praise the dog when she has done something good.
We all have pets for love and companionship, and there is nothing wrong with talking to your pets.

Personally, I think that they understand far more than we know. My little dog, Jasmine understood most of the things I said. I would say, "Where's your leash?", and she would run to the coat rack where it was hanging and do a happy dance.

Animals need communication from their owners to create a lifelong bond of love and friendship!

Not nutty at all. My pets have been family since entering the house. I've always spoken to them. Congratulate them for doing good. Or just hi's, hello's, how's my baby's, my baby's a good boy's, I love you's, you want scratches'/treats. Just simple stuff, yeah, not a full blown conversation, like he's human. Sometimes he "talks" back. Little noises, grunting, a whine. I see that as talking. And I read some once that a dog can understand a high pitched voice better, like the higher voice you speak to a baby in. And I speak to Kipper like that, and he jumps in my lap if I'm sitting on the couch, or jump up and lay near my chest and put his head on my arm as I scratch him and I talk to him and he talks back.

I have read that some of the Border Collies have a vocabulary (at least as far as understanding the word) of over 100 words. I don't know if that is true, but I know that they certainly can understand a lot of the commands that they are given when they are trained for herding. I remember seeing a video of one that had been trained to go and pick up certain toys, and everything the trainer said; that dog would go and get the right toy and bring it to her.
I have also read that some people think that a dog can pick up on mental images in your mind, and they say it is always good to visualize whatever you are telling them. I had a friend do this when she was training her dog, and she was positive the dog understood when she used the visualization technique.

I definitely talk to my pets. Dogs bark and cats meow and also use their body language to communicate with us, it only seems polite to communicate back. I also like to alter the pitch of my voice because it clearly gets their attention. Usually when it's high, they get excited and is usually my way of letting them know I'm ready to tussle and play. When it's low, they know it's "quiet time" and lie next to me and cuddle calmly.

I have always talked to my pets. I have considered them to be a part of my family so why not talk to them. Of course we are not talking to our pets expecting an answer more just someone to listen to us. It feels nice to talk and have someone listen to you that is non judgemental.

I talk to my cats all the time. I don't "converse" with them, but I'll talk to them and occasionally make up songs about them. I think it would be strange NOT to talk to your pets. My cats definitely understand some words and recognize my voice, they seem to enjoy being talked to, because they know it means they're getting attention. All three of them will call out to me occasionally from somewhere else in the house, and I'll usually respond either with their name, or "What?". This can go on for minutes at a time, them calling out, and me responding. I think it is kind of funny.

I talk to pets that I know I'll get a response from, or ones that know at least partially what I'm on about. I'm talking about dogs here.

An example I like is my dog called Milly. She know's her name. Or the sound at least. I can say "milly!" and she'll look. I can also say "pilly!" or "quilly!" and she'll still look. She knows the "illy" sound means.. her.
With a cat, I'm not sure they know their name, never mind any other words. You get absolutely nothing back from a cat. That's why I wouldn't speak to them. They'd just stare into your soul and not so much as flinch, before shutting their eyes and going to sleep while you're mid sentence!

I don't think that talking to one's pets is crazy at all. Whenever I feel sad, I would talk to my cats even if they are napping. It makes me feel good when there is someone just listening to you and not giving any unsolicited advice whatsoever. When it comes to my dogs, whenever I go out in the morning, I would pet them one by one and greet them good morning. My grandmother would say that what I am doing is weird because I am personifying the animals too much. I don't listen anyway. Also, when I was volunteering for an animal shelter near our home, the coordinator told us that the first step in rehabilitating abused and traumatized animals is to just sit with them and let them get used to your presence. Thus, talking and petting them are very important.

I love to talk to my pets, especially to my puppy.. I even call him my LITTLE FURRY KID
Dogs obviously understand the same words as humans.
My little furry kid gets me to smile, no matter how miserable or stressed I feel. Talking to our pets is not crazy or nuts, we are definitely communicating with our pets and in their own way, they are telling us what they want and answering our questions.

I think anyone who owns a non-aquatic pet will talk to them. Who knows, maybe people who own fish will sit in front of the aquarium and talk to their fish.
But insofar as other pets are concerned, sure, I talk to them.
One of the foremost reasons I have pets is because I am so reclusive and silent and owning the dog and the parrot guarantees that I'll use my vocal cords several times a day.
Most pets are pretty simplistic. they have the capacity to recognize certain sounds thru repetition, and are driven by the acquisition of food. However, they are social animals and need interaction and stimulation.
I have to count myself in that equation because, I, too, am an animal and need interaction. A person's mind can become seriously warped if kept in isolation too long. And since I have a tendency to be so quiet, I deliberately got a dog (I inherited the bird). They force me to be social with them.
They have kept me sane and whole. Bless them. I adore them.

I talked to my cats and dogs. My dogs tended to respond well and usually seemed to be listening. The kitties seemed to listen as well, but they only responded to me when they wanted a treat or food, or possibly something in my hand.

But often, I found it was good that they didn't actually talk back. Sometimes, it just felt good to talk to someone that would listen, and not say anything--just listen.