I love animals, and I have many. Dogs understand commands. Cats are trainable. But do they really understand what you say? I didn't think so…

Until today! My male cat likes to bring me little gifts, Live ones, from the back yard. It is usually birds, even a parakeet once. A lizard now and then.

This summer has been different. He’s into LOCUST now. Words cannot describe how horrible this is to someone who is terrified of bugs. Have you ever heard that noise they make? …IN YOUR HOUSE???

So, today, after my husband had removed the second locust, which came within minutes of the first, my cat was lying on the dining room floor. He was kind of glaring at me, I guess because I had his gifts removed. I told him "thank you" for the many gifts, but I'm really afraid of bugs, “I'd rather have birds”.

Well... within 15 minutes… here came my cat with a dying bird in his mouth. Now, this cat has not killed a bird all summer. I have been very proud of him, even the babies were safe this year. The only explanation could be that he understood exactly what I said. Makes you wonder…

DOES YOUR CAT REALLY UNDERSTAND??

Copyright © Wendy Yeazel
August 8, 2001