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ahem!!!!

I can only assume the results of this study are in error! and all 6 cats surrounding me here at my desk said "meeeeoo
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Perhaps your six are the exceptions to the rule....
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Cats KNOW that strings are not "tools"...they are toys!

I'll say this: Our black and white kitty understands English.

We told her to go to the picnic table under the umbrella...and she did, yesterday. She has followed commands like this before.
I once told her to sit on a rock "over there" so I could take her picture and she moved right over there about 20 ft away!

She makes a specific sound when she wants to go out... ouuu ouuu.
Our other two cats know specific words, mostly for food, but also Up, Down, No, uh uh, In, Okay, going as examples.

When Dr. Amen was on PBS he stated that cats do not have a prefrontal cortex, hence cannot form intent, planning. Dogs have 7% of what people have. So there may be physiological reasons why they behave the way they do. But I find my cats very intelligent and perceptive in their own ways!
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