My cats call out for me when they want food, toys or comfort. They communicate to each other through body language and soft sounds like purring and chuffing. Ridcully will hiss at Jamie when he wants to be left alone.
Now I'll tell a story. It's about a pig.
Near Melbourne, Australia, where I live, there is a farm animal sanctuary called Edgar's Mission. It was started by Pam Ahern to provide homes for abused, escaped and unwanted farm animals. Last year, Christmas of 2012, they were going to be at Docklands Market, with their piggy ambassador, Polly Pig. I was enthralled! I'm a lifelong vegetarian now vegan with a lasting adoration for pigs - and so off we went to see Polly Pig.
I first saw Polly on a patch of grass beside their market tent. She was doing what comes so extremely natural to pigs - she was eating. Not wanting to interrupt, I sat down on the containment wall and watched her for twenty minutes, before she wandered in my direction to sniff at me.
"Hello, Polly!" I greeted. The lovely pig turned her face up to look at me. It was clear she had heard me, and recognised my words. I expected her to just wander away to continue eating. She didn't. She reached her nose up towards my face - pig for 'hello' - and she snorted back to me. It wasn't coincidental. It was reply. It was the hello she gave when anyone called her name.
Most people are unaware that sows will sing to their piglets, both in utero and post-birth. They keep in contact with each other while foraging - females will join together with their piglets - which has lead to the groups of up to twenty animals being referred to as 'sounders.'
Chickens, similarly, sing to their unhatched chicks as they turn their eggs. Dolphins, whales and porpoises communicate verbally. All simians, from lemurs to, well, us communicate verbally.
I know it's really hard to come to terms with but humans are not that special.
