I have no doubts at all about the ability of animals to communicate in ways the unobservant would find unbelievable. While I have had a few pets that were too dumb, most of them, including my fishies express themselves in ways that leave no doubt at all what they are saying. This evening when I got back from my first foray into the cold and ice in a week I was greeted with a display that not only put me in my place for desertion of my adorable cat I was told I might be forgiven only if I broke open a can of tuna but only maybe. And that was after five minutes of tracing my ancestry through several generations and I was not the best of the bunch. I have been told off before but my ears were burning after that lecture. Even DH was laughing after that show of temper. Sandy

Ahh, thanks Anne! :-)

I *know* they can communicate! Birds are awesome and can pick up on emotions and ill health and fun things too. I could bore you to tears with stories of our Kramer, the starling, and his interactions with everyone. After my Mom died, Olive saw me crying and asked: "What's the matter Sweetheart?" I told her and she told me something very reassuring back. Words we never heard her say before but very nice.

This morning Olive is getting ready to cheer for the football game. RAH! over and over and over again! We live in such a crazy house!!! x 13! :-)

I am ~very~ lucky because I have been able to meet a variety of bird species, and others, on a very up close and personal basis. They're all so different in their personalities but they all do communicate with other birds and with their human captives. All the critters communicate. We just need to take the time to watch and listen to what they tell us. :-)

I always suspected that animals such Dogs communicate to humans on some unheard and unseen level. We have a Border Collie Mix and BC's are known to get herds of Sheep moving with their famous stare. Our BC not only has the stare but I swear she can be heard without saying a word.

One day my DH and I were upstairs and the BC was staring at me. She is "My" dog. I told my DH "She says her water bowl is empty" and he starts laughing and says "No she wants outside". I insist, we bet on it and sure enough her water bowl that is checked daily is bone dry.

She can always tell me what she wants. It is if I "hear" her. I think it is a Border Collie trait to communicate without words, and only with their eyes. She can tell me everything, and she told me she had a hernia if you could believe that. She had surgery to correct it but that is another story all together.

Lisa