Talk to the paw

I'm one of those who talks to animals in everyday, conversational tones. Make eye contact (they almost always reciprocate) and speak in full, observational sentences, not barked commands or cutesy baby talk.

I decided that my crazy-cat lady method might aid and abet evolution. Apparently humans employ complex language partly because we alone have a voice box that allows speech.

I talk to my animal(s) so that they'll be ready to answer when their voice box develops the goods they need.

Tiger, my resident animal, appears to understand occasionally what a six-word sentence from me means. And the human-like emotion he can display on his little cat face!
He does "disdain" the best, of course. He is a feline.