Why do some people talk with animals as if the animals could understand them?

[noname223]

I think many people talk to their pets as if they were humans. On the internet I have read people who talk with their pets in this way have statistically a higher IQ and are more empathetic. Not sure whether the source is trustworthy though.

There are theories like it is not important whether the other being really understands the content. Maybe the animals react to the rhythm or the sound of the language.
This phenomenon is seemingly part of the following: Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology.

I could imagine talking to pets could have a therapeutical effect on a person who is lonely or mentaly ill. Though I don't know studies. But I think I have read of animals which are part of a certain kind of therapy.

Maybe it is similar to talking to God. I am not sure about that. But this gives people also strength. Though when I think about it there are some differences.

I cannot remember how often I talked to my pets in this way. But for sure I did it more often to my cat than with my fishes.

I don't really know how it feels to do this. It has been such a long time since I had pets.

Do you think you project or connect human traits to your pets? How do you feel about it? Do they have a certain character?

 

[makethepainstop]

I think many people talk to their pets as if they were humans. On the internet I have read people who talk with their pets in this way have statistically a higher IQ and are more empathetic. Not sure whether the source is trustworthy though.

There are theories like it is not important whether the other being really understands the content. Maybe the animals react to the rhythm or the sound of the language.
This phenomenon is seemingly part of the following: Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology.

I could imagine talking to pets could have a therapeutical effect on a person who is lonely or mentaly ill. Though I don't know studies. But I think I have read of animals which are part of a certain kind of therapy.

Maybe it is similar to talking to God. I am not sure about that. But this gives people also strength. Though when I think about it there are some differences.

I cannot remember how often I talked to my pets in this way. But for sure I did it more often to my cat than with my fishes.

I don't really know how it feels to do this. It has been such a long time since I had pets.

Do you think you project or connect human traits to your pets? How do you feel about it? Do they have a certain character?

I guess it's like demonstrating love to our pets. Maybe it's therapy for some of us who are crushed with solitude and lonelyness?

 

[Passersby]

People talk to them because they actually care and are great beings. Cats have it really hard in particular. There are many reasons though such as friends, companion, conversational aspect, well being, love, and things that makethepainstop said etc. I have a special connection with them and yes they are able to understand me and I am able to understand them.

 

[Julgran]

People talk to them because they actually care and are great beings. Cats have it really hard in particular. There are many reasons though such as friends, companion, conversational aspect, well being, love, and things that makethepainstop said etc. I have a special connection with them and yes they are able to understand me and I am able to understand them.

A cat hug to you!

 

[Passersby]

Thanks Julgran! I hope you are doing as good as you can be and not suffering to much.

 

[lessonlearned]

i've done that before with cats. i'm not sure exactly why though.

 

[flightless bird]

Dogs can learn and fully understand words, intonation. Not sure about cats though.

 

[HateMyPointlessLife]

I used to talk to my dog as if she were human for the sixteen years I had her before she died. It was very therapeutic. I didn't have to worry about her thinking what I was saying was stupid or embarrassing. Was just good to have someone to talk to. Even if she didn't know what I was saying. She could pick up on my tone of voice. And if I was upset. It helped a lot. Especially when I was a lonely depressed kid with no one to talk to.

 

[makethepainstop]

You are so right. Spot on as some would say.

I used to talk to my dog as if she were human for the sixteen years I had her before she died. It was very therapeutic. I didn't have to worry about her thinking what I was saying was stupid or embarrassing. Was just good to have someone to talk to. Even if she didn't know what I was saying. She could pick up on my tone of voice. And if I was upset. It helped a lot. Especially when I was a lonely depressed kid with no one to talk to.

 

[ClownMe]

People talk to them because they actually care and are great beings. Cats have it really hard in particular. There are many reasons though such as friends, companion, conversational aspect, well being, love, and things that makethepainstop said etc. I have a special connection with them and yes they are able to understand me and I am able to understand them.

They're amazing. My dog Frankie understands most of what I say and can sense when im upset. I'm not killing myself until he passes away. As painful as it is being alive...

 

[Celerity]

Because it's cute and because I occasionally like to cosplay as a Disney princess.

Really though, I talk to inanimate objects, the air, myself, and God (who I don't even believe in), so of course I'm going to talk to my dog, lol.

 

[Shivali]

They don' t know exactly what you are talking about but they know how you feel because of the sound of your voice

 

[Angst Filled Fuck Up]

My dog is a smart breed and has some sense of what you're saying if only by the tone of your voice. But he's also attuned to certain phrases said in exactly the same sort of way. If you do that over and over, you find that over time, an intelligent dog can respond appropriately provided some training is thrown into the mix as well.

I wouldn't say I use him as my therapist, but I do find myself occasionally rattling off sentences to him, if only to not feel so alone sometimes.

 

[makethepainstop]

My dog is a smart breed and has some sense of what you're saying if only by the tone of your voice. But he's also attuned to certain phrases said in exactly the same sort of way. If you do that over and over, you find that over time, an intelligent dog can respond appropriately provided some training is thrown into the mix as well.

I wouldn't say I use him as my therapist, but I do find myself occasionally rattling off sentences to him, if only to not feel so alone sometimes.

Well my dog and I communicate quite well. Sure I talk to her, sure she doesn't speak English, but we do ok. Trans species communication anyone?!

 

[Lost Magic]

I have had more love and understanding from cats and dogs than I have from most people. Talk to them all the time. They are amazing!

 

[GrumpyFrog]

I'm a cat lady. I've been a cat owner for most of my life, bringing home my first kitten when I was 4 or 5. I shared my home with 9 different cats in my lifetime, not counting kittens that were born in my care but found families of their own when they grew up, and I can say for sure that all of my cats had different personalities, and that cats really are capable of forming an emotional attachment to their human, not just based on the human feeding them and being warm, but a purely emotional bond. And they can definitely learn to recognize a few words. I'm not even talking about dogs, dogs are super smart.
I do talk to my cats even though I know they cannot understand what I'm saying. But it feels therapeutic and I know that they can at least understand my tone of voice. They know their names and they can tell when I speak to them gently and they like it. One of my cats can very clearly tell when I'm sad or anxious based on the tone of my voice, and it's like she tries to calm me down to the best of her ability - she isn't clingy normally, but when I'm sad or anxious she comes to my lap, purrs, makes biscuits and insists that we cuddle until I calm down. Sometimes she also brings me her toys when I cry (she never does it in any other situation) and tries to get me to play with her, or just brings over random small objects like "here, don't be sad, play with this thing". Pets make good friends too.

 

[Someday_Somehow32]

I do it a lot with my guinea pig, I guess it's just the way I treat things I care about

 

[I wish I were a cat]

I can only speak on cats but honestly, humans suck. I dislike talking to humans but I could talk to my cat all day long. Cats actually know our voices which I find really cute and even though we speak different languages I sense they (and many animals) know our true intentions.

 

[MelancholyMagic]

Because it is personally gratifying. "Animal lovers" just love how animals make them feel (and they usually have little sincere concern for the well-being of animals).