Cats and their vocabulary

Question
Is it true that cats can understand everything a human says?  Like if I told my cat to sit, he would go in the chair and sit.  Can they really understand those words?  Or is it just the tone of our voice they really hear?

Answer
Jules,

The answer to this question varies widely depending on who you ask. In my opinion cats understand a lot more than most people give them credit for. As far as the veterinary and behavioral communities are concerned cats do not understand actual words, they only understand tone of voice. As I have said though I firmly believe that cats understand a good deal more than they are given credit for. I hope that this answers your question. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me again.