How well do cats understand human language?

How well do cats understand human language? Can they recognize when they’re being called by name? Can they detect angry or loving tones? Are there certain sounds they recognize better than words?

Just think about what this means for cat owners everywhere…

Have you ever sat on the sofa with your cat on your lap, just wishing you could actually tell her the level of affection you felt at that moment… using your own words?
Have you ever wished to have true, detailed conversations like a parent would have with his or her own child?
Have you ever desired to instruct or even discipline your cat without using a harsh voice, so that you could change behaviors without projecting negative emotions?

Not only can cats reportedly understand 25 to 35 human words, but they can also perceive and respond to human emotions.

For example:

Recent research into cat communication has shown that:

Cats (79% of them in one study) do “social referencing" or looking at human emotional responses in uncertain situations.
They’re also attuned to the moods of the humans around them as demonstrated in a clear preference for approaching "extroverted people" compared to those who feel unhappy.
Cat’s also communicate heavily via changes in their purring rather than just meowing, - although they sometimes do and very the tone and pitch of both as a means of communicating. For example, cat purrs become more "urgent and less pleasant" when approaching their owners to be fed.

But what's really fascinating is that like humans, cats actually communicate through an incredible array of body language.

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