Do You Chat with Your Cat? The Benefits of Talking to Your Pets

Do you enjoy chatting with your Chihuahua or speaking to your Siamese? While pets may not understand every word you say, there's no denying that they love the attention. But cats and dogs aren't the only ones who can benefit from little “talks.” Humans do, as well. Check out the following reasons why speaking to your dog or cat on a regular basis is not only good for your pet, but also can also be beneficial for you.

Talking to pets will help to cement your bond

When you spend time talking to your dog or cat, you make them feel valued, and that is vital to building a strong bond between pet and parent. Think about it: cats and dogs don't have jobs to go to or hobbies to entertain them.

Often they may not even have animal friends either. Their owners are their entire world. Speaking to them — even if it’s just a silly monologue that they don't understand — can make a pet feel special and loved.

Speaking with your pet is good for you

Research has shown that interacting with and talking to your pets can reduce stress levels in humans. Venting to your pet about your problems at work, for example, can be a good way to let out your feelings of frustration, without fear of being judged or having to listen to unwanted advice.

Talking to pets can also combat loneliness. Your dog or cat may not be the best conversationalist, but they're always happy to listen to you chat about any subject you feel like discussing with them. And since studies have shown that lonliness can actually be danangerous to our health - especially for those older in age - there's no better reason to start conversing with your dog or cat.

Talking to pets can be a learning experience for them

The average dog knows about 165 words, but they are capable of learning a lot more. For example, one Border Collie named Chaser was taught more than 1,000 words. While your pup may never pick up as many words as Chaser, you may be able to help him increase his vocabulary by talking to him on a regular basis.

Cats, on the other hand, typically only learn about 20 to 40 words, but don’t let that discourage you from talking to your feline to help her maximize her vocabulary.

So speaking to your pets and teaching them new tricks and commands is not only a great way to foster the connection between pet and parent, but also is a great way to keep your pet mentally stimulated and sharp.

The best way to speak to your pet

Studies have shown that what you say to your pet is not always as important as how you say it. It turns out that both dogs and cats prefer it when their owners speak to them in a sweet, high-pitched voice with exaggerated intonation — also known as baby talk.

Believe it or not, this can also have positive benefits for pet parents as well! Studies have shown that speaking in a happy tone, even when stressed or blue, can in fact elevate your emotional state to a higher level! Sometimes you have to fake it to feel better.

Keeping your pet healthy and happy

Beyond talking to your pets to show your them how much you love them, it's important to get pet health insurance, which can help pay for your dog’s or cat’s unexpected illnesses and injuries to keep them happy and healthy as long as possible.

Lizz Caputo is a Content Strategist at Figo, animal enthusiast, and owner of a rescued senior American Bully. Her hobbies include checking out new restaurants in her area, boxing, and petting dogs of all shapes and sizes.