I swear cats can understand English...

[fireheart]

Doomkitteh, heh I like that.

[Eireann]

My cats know when I'm shutting off the computer, and they surround me. They must recognize the noises that it makes.

[Andara Bledin]

Oh, yeah, cat's can hear computers just fine. Heck, I can hear a computer shutting down, and that's at the limits of my hearing. Ours can hear us handling one of the gooshy food pouches. Even if we think we made no noise with one, they'll all come running.

As for them knowing when you're talking about them, it has to do with body language. Most of a cat's language is body language, so once they get to know our cues (why not, we know theirs), it's just the same as speaking out loud for them.

^-.-^