“I talk to my dog incessantly… I’ll send an email… and then casually glance over at her and inquire, ‘Do you love your mom?!’” confesses writer Kate Mooney. She even imagines her pup’s replies in a comical tone.

If you’ve ever chatted with your cat about your day or greeted your dog with “Who’s a good boy?” in a squeaky voice, you’re not alone. One survey of physicians found many do it too. As one doctor admitted, “I used to think it was silly… but I have found that it’s an extremely hard habit to avoid. I think there’s something just simply natural about it.”

We dote on our animals with conversation, treating them like furry little people. But why do humans talk to pets as if they understand every word?

Hardwired for companionship and connection

Experts say this behavior is deeply rooted in our social and biological wiring. Humans are natural anthropomorphizers. We instinctively assign human-like minds to other creatures.

“Recognizing the mind of another human being involves the same psychological processes as recognizing a mind in other animals… It is a reflection of our brain’s greatest ability rather than a sign of our stupidity,” social psychologist Nicholas Epley explains (The Atlantic).

Seeing our pets as quasi-persons isn’t foolish at all. It’s a byproduct of an agile, social brain. Brain scans support this. The same medial prefrontal brain region that activates for human social thinking also lights up when we ponder what an animal—or even an object—might be thinking. We’re hardwired to seek connection and dialogue, even across species.

Talking to pets also just feels good. It’s practically second nature for many pet owners. The chatter provides comfort. It can combat loneliness and even be therapeutic, as Mooney notes (The Cut).

Psychologists say voicing our thoughts to an attentive, nonjudgmental pet can reduce stress and improve mood. Research shows that petting a dog lowers the stress hormone cortisol. Interaction between people and dogs increases levels of oxytocin—the same feel-good hormone involved in human bonding.

Oxytocin is the hormone that floods a parent’s brain while cradling a baby. Our pets trigger it too. “Those loving looks cause both dog and human brains to secrete the hormone oxytocin,” one study found, linking it to emotional bonds like those “between mothers and babies” (Smithsonian Magazine).

Just three minutes of gently petting and talking to a dog can send oxytocin levels soaring in both human and animal (GreyMatters Journal).

Our speech changes too. People naturally shift into a sing-song cadence, use playful pitch, and simplify words—basically, baby talk for animals. Linguists call this “pet-directed speech.” It closely resembles the infant-directed speech we use with babies.

We stretch our vowels, speak slowly, and repeat phrases like “Aren’t you the cutest?” in a high tone. It may seem silly, but it serves a purpose.

Speech interaction experiments show this kind of talk improves a dog’s attention and strengthens the human-animal bond (ScienceDaily). In one study, scientists found that “adult dogs were more likely to want to interact and spend time with the speaker that used dog-directed speech with dog-related content.”

A cheerful “Who wants a treat?” in a warm, excited tone engages your dog far more than a flat, adult-style remark.

Dogs also appear to recognize both our words and our tone. In a well-known neuroscience study, dogs were trained to lie still in an MRI scanner while listening to their owners.

The scans showed that dogs process meaningful words with the left side of their brains and vocal intonation with the right—just like humans. When a dog heard praise in a happy voice, its reward center lit up.

But if the tone and the words didn’t match—like enthusiastic delivery of meaningless words, or dull praise—the reward center stayed quiet.

“So dogs not only tell what we say and how we say it, but they can also combine the two, for a correct interpretation of what those words really meant,” says neuroscientist Attila Andics, who led the study.

Our pets, especially dogs, tune in to both the music and the meaning of our speech.

Culturally, humans have long talked to animals. From Aesop’s fables to TikToks of people bantering with their pets, the idea is woven into our history and imagination.

In many traditional societies, animals were seen as intelligent or spiritual beings. Speaking to them was natural. Today, we might chuckle at someone having a heart-to-heart with a goldfish, but it’s really an ancient impulse.

Most cultures have folktales with animals who act and talk like humans. Around the world, people routinely attribute human emotions and personalities to their pets.

In modern homes, pets are full-fledged family members. It’s common to celebrate a dog’s birthday or hear someone ask their cat which outfit to wear. Words like “fur baby” are part of everyday speech.

These imagined conversations make us feel closer to our animals. They’re also fun. Giving our pets imagined voices—maybe a snooty British cat or a goofy-sounding dog—adds richness to the relationship.

But beyond the playfulness, talking to pets has emotional value.

Our pets become confidants. No one understands my troubles like my dog,” one pet owner joked—and there’s truth in it.

We often share our worries and joys with pets because they listen without judgment. In lonely or stressful times, their presence can be deeply comforting.

Therapists say that speaking aloud to a pet can be a healthy form of social interaction, especially for people who live alone.

Your words may not mean much to your cat or dog, but the act of expressing yourself and being “heard”—even by a pair of kind eyes or twitching ears—can ease loneliness.

Many people believe their pets “know exactly how I feel.” That may be a stretch, but studies show that animals do pick up on our emotional tone and body language.

When you speak in a sad voice, your dog may nuzzle you, or your cat might curl up closer. That’s bonding, plain and simple.

Science and personal experience agree: there’s nothing odd about chatting with your pet.

“Humans slow their own speech when talking to their dogs, and this slower tempo matches their pets’ receptive abilities, allowing the dogs to better understand” what we’re saying.

We naturally adapt our language, like learning a bit of a cross-species dialect. And our pets respond with ear perks, tail wags, purrs, and head tilts.

Animal behaviorists say a friendly, melodic voice puts pets at ease—just like we use baby talk to bond with infants.

As Dr. Katie Slocombe, who researches dog communication, explains, using “dog-speak” is key in building a relationship. It’s similar to how baby talk fosters connection between parent and child (ScienceDaily).

Ultimately, talking to our pets shows just how social and empathetic humans can be. We’re driven to connect, to share our thoughts and feelings, even if our audience meows or barks instead of speaks.

Far from a quirky habit, it’s a sign of our imaginative brains and compassionate hearts.

As one scholar noted, seeing “personhood” in our pets reflects “our brain’s greatest ability”—imagining another’s mind—and it helps build one of life’s most meaningful bonds.

So the next time you ask your dog how her day was or tell your cat about your problems, don’t feel silly. It’s one of the most human things you can do.