# Do your cats come when they're called?



## yellowdaisies (Jan 25, 2011)

How do your cats react when you say their names/call them? Do they actually come to you?

Neither of our cats come when called (I wish!), even if we are right next to them and they're looking right at us. They only come when called if they can tell we're calling from the kitchen. :roll: (of course) 

Lily used to meow when we would say her name, but I think at some point she realized she was giving us exactly what we wanted (which will NEVER do!), so now she does it sometimes, when she's in the mood, to prove that she is still in control.  Usually, when one of us calls her name, she'll twitch her ears towards that direction, and I suppose she expects we should be grateful for that small acknowledgement!  Sometimes she even does us the honor of TURNING and LOOKING at us when we call her name, before turning around again and resuming her activity. 

Spencer pretty much ignores his own name - he does look at us in response, so I know he KNOWS his name - but he pretty much ignores EVERYTHING unless there is food involved. haha!


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## Gabby169 (May 8, 2011)

Gabby will come when I call her but only when she wants to. She definitely responds in some way when I call her name.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I don't think he's ever far enough away that I'd have to call for him....


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## raecarrow (Oct 27, 2009)

Only when there is food involved and they are in the mood to be pet.


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## konstargirl (Feb 4, 2011)

Misa...nope. Only by noises or if my older sister calls her.

Francis.. Oh heck yes. He'll listen to my older sister especially.

Vinnie.. Nope.


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

All my cats come when they are called by name. No matter what room I am in. But then at their ages they know by now it means food, treats, and cuddles.


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## monsters mom (Apr 29, 2011)

Most of the time he does. I call him and he normally responds by yelling back at me while he saunters over, haha. The only time he doesn't is when he's napping somewhere or playing too hard that he can't be bothered with whatever I want from him.


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## Fyreflie (Mar 5, 2011)

Only when I shake a bag of treats or go to the kitchen and open the fridge....


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## Natalie Jayne (Apr 21, 2011)

Ginger only comes when he is in the mood for us playing with him. If he's not in the mood, we call and he might glance our way then look away uninterested. He comes running when we call and tap his food bowl on the ground


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Yea right!!


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## Emelda (May 15, 2011)

Only if she feels like it. Normally, she can't be bothered, lol.


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## catnapped (Nov 11, 2010)

Unless she's sulking, in which case I have to go find where she's hiding.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

All 7 of my house cats come when I call them. When the weather is nice they are usually outdoors, so it really helps that they will come running. They know when I call them it's mealtime. 

Even my ferals come when I call them, responding from far-flung places. Same deal - they know if they want the good stuff (wet food) they'd better get there fast.


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## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

Blacky and Blaze both come when called.  Sometimes with Blacky it'll take a few minutes since she's sunning outside and lazy, but she loves following me around outside so it pretty much never fails. If it's dark out I walk to the edge of the property and call her, for some reason she loves running up to me when she sees me at the end of the driveway... I don't know why, maybe she thinks we're going for a walk, haha. It's the easiest way to get her inside at night.


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## dweamgoil (Feb 3, 2010)

My 3 cats come when they are called. Then again, most of the time when I call them it's to feed them so they are conditioned to expect good things.


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## Valentine's Heart (Mar 18, 2011)

All my cats come when I call them -- except when it is time to go in the car. Then Sammy and Coco do a disappearing act! But I usually can track them down.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Maggie is the brilliant one....she comes only when her name is called and she comes every time.

Kobi comes all the time, no matter what name is called, in hopes of food.

Holly rarely ever shows up and when she does it's usually at least 5-10 minutes later. You can tell that even though she's late, that she's answering the call because she has this look on her face that says "this had better be good because I was busy"


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## swimkris (Jul 17, 2010)

They come most of the time when I call. There are exceptions: when I am obviously calling them for something unpleasant like nail clipping, when I call Pumpkin from outside she doesn't bother listening (Simone is only allowed on a leash otherwise I think he would be the same), if they are in the middle of an intense wrestling match, or if they are hunting a bug. Lately Simone seems to be jealous whenever I call Pumpkin though because he usually "murrs" and tries to race her to me.


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## RannsMama (May 24, 2011)

Yes, they all come running unless they're mad at me for something. Then they stare at me or walk the opposite direction. lol


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## Lenkolas (Jan 18, 2011)

Being only 3 months old, I don't think Rulos knows his name yet. I say his name, but I also call him with a sound we make in Spanish, that I have no idea how to translate/explain. It is something like a "gshht gshht gshht" sound they are very used to. We call it "cuchito" sound...I call all my kitties with that sound. And everybody in my country (and other countries) knows it and relates it with cats.

Chikis ALWAYS comes when I call him. I just say "Chikiiiiis" and he comes running. Such a lovely boy.

Gatito, king of the house, calls _me_ and I go. He can't say my name tho. A "mrrrr" is enough.


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## Dace (Apr 16, 2011)

If I call Fred to come inside, he usually appears at the door 5-10 minutes later, haha. If he's in, sometimes he responds to his name, sometimes not. However, the sound of shaking his food jar works always


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## Sephie (May 5, 2011)

My two olders cats whom I adopted years ago didn't! But like Dace, one of them did respond to the jar opening or the bag of food opening! I'm hoping our new 3 kittens will though!  We shall see!


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## Nan (Oct 11, 2010)

Nope. well, occasionally.. If I'm down on the floor Harli usually will. She just likes attention and pets. Or if Harli's downstairs calling for Lily or me when we are upstairs, and I lean over the balcony so she can see me & I call her name, she'll come running upstairs. 

Lily might look at me. If she feels like it. Unless I'm at the cabinet where the treats are.


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## Marshel (Dec 22, 2010)

Colonel my indoor/outdoor cat will come running 98% of the time when called. That is if he is outside. Inside he is totaly deaf. 
Onyx I am lucky if she will turn her head if called.


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## sherryv02 (May 12, 2011)

Yep Lola will for me but not for anyone else.


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## Straysmommy (Dec 23, 2010)

I NEVER use the word Prince to call Prince, unless I mean "DANGER - COME WITH ME AT ONCE!" So he always comes if I say his name - unless he really-really feels like staying outdoors, but this is rare because I don't normally call his name before he's been outside the 2 hours he likes to spend outside. I only use the word Prince to talk about him to others or as a code for him to come to me urgently. To call him for other things I use terms of endearment like "mi amor", "mi bebe", "donde esta el gatito?", etc. I do this on purpose, of course, to have a safe word.


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## vanacat (May 4, 2011)

I adopted Vana when she was 4 years old, and I was surprised that she does come when I call her. I did keep the name her previous owners had given her, so maybe that helped.


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## Abbie (Jan 13, 2011)

Evie is here like a shot if I call her name. She'll come dashing with her urgent 'meow' on full volume. She likes to think she is the sorter of all problems- just shout and she'll sort it out. She likes to come if I call Mitzi... or even the hamster... Evie is the boss- you must ask her first!
Mitzi will come most of the time, particularly if Evie has been called too. She's definitely more of a "what, WHAT have you got me up for? This had better be good or they'll be toe biting tonight".


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## Marshel (Dec 22, 2010)

sherryv02 said:


> Yep Lola will for me but not for anyone else.


I can relate to that. Many times my wife has called Colonel in and he wouldn't come. She would say, "Call you **** cat in he doesn't come for me." I would go out, call him and he would come running. Makes me wonder if it is name recognition or voice recognition or a little of both.


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## MinkaMuffin (Apr 1, 2011)

No, he doesn't respond to his name at all.. ;___;
I think some clicker training is in store..


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## Salemcat2 (Dec 28, 2010)

ONLY when food is involved (Din-Din time) or I'm at the back door getting ready to go out for play time. Any other time when called, he simply looks at me as if to say, "yeah, right" and then ignores me. I figured it's a cat thing. Now my dog is another story entirely and will always come when called, and will about break her neck to get to us. She also puts us ahead of food. Big difference there.


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## yellowdaisies (Jan 25, 2011)

paulw said:


> usually she comes to me with the "i have a whim i need catered to" when i am doing something and not paying attention to the princess.


LOL!!! This is sooooo my cats...the prince and princess.  

I'm loving these responses - some of them are cracking me up!


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## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

Both my cats will come when called and sometimes they'll verbally confirm while on the way like saying 'Here I am! Just a minute!' I find it quite amusing. For Jack, it's even funnier. I can tell him to come up on a sofa where I'm sitting and he'll do it even if he doesn't want to. He meows a greeting to me, obeys, then he just jumps off again.

Unlike Rocky the dog who 's really weird. He'll come over when I arrive home. Any other time I call, he stares at me, then runs off or if he's not within sight, he doesn't appear at all. On his way off, I can stop him though if I tell him to come in a more commanding voice. Then he shrinks and rolls over in a doggie surrender. He'll only respond to 'I have something for you' or 'follow me' immediately without hesitation but the 'come' command is real iffy.


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## ShadowsRescue (Mar 7, 2011)

Jake our indoor kitty will come on occasion. He will always come if there is food involved. Shadow, my feral will come to me 95% of the time. Some days it is just the sweetest thing to see him running across the yard, meowing the entire way. He will come just to see me. I will occasionally see him out in the neighborhood when I am walking the dog. I can tell him to get home right now. When I finish with the walk, he is always there waiting for me!!


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## bkitty (Aug 17, 2009)

Of course they come when I call. Who am I kidding - they show up when they please & at their own pace. Sometimes I get an ear twitch so I know they are not all deaf. According to them I am the mom, placed on this earth to furnish noms, hugs, toys, & cleaning duties at their convienence. And I thought once upon a time I was thru with that when my kids got their own homes.


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## Time Bandit (Aug 17, 2010)

Samantha is my only kitty that will come every time I call her...probably because she knows she'll get pets and chin scratchies if she does.  Alice and Rochelle will only come when they want to...usually I get the ear swivel and the 'why-don't you-come-over-here-_yourself_-human' look.


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## trexmommy (Mar 24, 2010)

If we are all in the same room and I call them, I might get a turn of the head to look at me. They both respond much better when I am calling for the other one lol. But then if they are coming from a different room, the tend to stop in the doorway, acknowledge no food is involved and go back about their business. 

Rather than calling them, all I have to do is step into the kitchen. Sully and Ella, no matter where they are, must here the change of footsteps go from carpet to linoleum and come running hoping its dinner time. No need to say a word.

Jack, the kitten, knows nothing yet, but he's usually following Sully around and finds his way to me that way. If he cant find the cats or us, he sits down and meows loudly until we find him and take him for cuddles lol. So, I guess we respond to his calls better than him responding to us


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

What is funny is when I call Jack sometimes and he answers to let me know he heard, yet he doesn't move so one of the other cats can't steal "his" nap spot.


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## ragdoll (Aug 30, 2010)

Shadow comes if i call him but only if i add a sucking of lips together, think he only comes to that really. Biscuit never comes when called!


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## Goldtanker (Jan 9, 2011)

We raised a wolf back in the 70's. Pretty much the same thing. If you said "Here Wolfe" (She was a female and her name was Wolfe), she would look at your hands - if there was nothing of interest, it was as if she would say "why should I walk all the way over there, possible 6 feet, for nothing?"


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## Machez (May 23, 2011)

My cats come whenever I call them. Especially if I have a brush.



Goldtanker said:


> We raised a wolf back in the 70's. Pretty much the same thing. If you said "Here Wolfe" (She was a female and her name was Wolfe), she would look at your hands - if there was nothing of interest, it was as if she would say "why should I walk all the way over there, possible 6 feet, for nothing?"


I raised a raccoon years ago who was like that. Had to be something in it for her to acknowledge you


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## lgnutah (Aug 7, 2010)

Essie is a little deaf, so now she only hears if I tap a spoon on the side of her bowl. 
Mercury actually answers "no" when he doesn't want to come. Well, he doesn't say no, but he stays in the some place does a chatter sound, which we have learned means that he wants to stay where he is.


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## Fran (Jan 9, 2008)

Unless she's fast asleep, Gracie will come at a quick trot with a bunch of chirps and peeps...And if you're calling her to the _kitchen_, she'll come at a gallop! 

Actually, any time anything happens in the kitchen Gracie appears - sometimes she'll stagger in from a deep sleep, blinking and yawning, just to be absolutely sure she doesn't miss a thing...

Fran


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

Sully always comes, Ninja never does. I think it has to do with what the cat finds most important/rewarding. Cuddling with me is Sully's most favorite thing ever, so it is always better than whatever he was doing before I called him. Ninja, however, has very important kitten business to attend to and can't be bothered to answer my call immediately. He takes a message and gets back to me at his convenience. 

Mocha and Kobie both came when called as well. Miss those two!


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## lyttleravyn (May 5, 2010)

My boy Parker comes when I call him (he's a bit of a momma's boy!) even if I'm upstairs out of sight, I hear the bell on his collar twinkling as he runs through the house and up the stairs to me  But my female Siamese Cleo will just give us this disapproving look and they walk away in the other direction if we call her name!


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## Cam (May 6, 2011)

When Bertie's outside he usually comes when he's called, which is good cos he likes playing under the house.
Inside, he sometimes does, sometimes not. He knows his name though, cos he often just gives you a "what?" look, before returning to whatever he was trashing. I'm pretty proud of him, seeing as he's only 4 months old!
He calls us too- he has a particular "where are you?" chirp, for when he's misplaced us. Usually we're right where he left us, on the couch.


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## Straysmommy (Dec 23, 2010)

Love all the funny images!!


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## Miss Callie Kitty (Jun 12, 2011)

All my cats come to their names when called....I started this training when they were young and it has stuck with them as they aged.

The only two who don't are Dot and Mook when they sleep....they sleep so deep I swear they hit the middle of the earth...lol....they just do not hear me.


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## oceanmist (Feb 12, 2011)

Cherry comes when she's called, most of the time. She won't come if the dog is blocking her path or if she can see me.


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## D'Lynn (Jun 18, 2011)

Cinder comes when she's called. It might take a few tries because she's 12 weeks old and has the attention span of a gnat, but she comes. So does Yoshi. When I call either one of them the other comes running cuz there's surely something good happening.


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