My cats will lead me to what they want after getting my attention (Lydia meows, Cuties pokes me with her nose, and Ella taps me with her paw). If Cutie wants me to give her a tour around the house while sitting in her box, she'll go to her box after getting my attention. The others don't go near her box, but they lead me to what they want: the food bowl, to eat, or the backdoor, if they want to go out; or, and Ella is the only one who does this, she acts like she's trying to open the drawer where I keep the treats. Between Ella and Cutie, they know when I usually go to bed and will start nagging me when they think it's time for me to go to bed. Perhaps because she's old, Cutie will sometimes get my attention and then I can see that she's trying to figure out what she wants. She might look at her box, then go toward the food bowls, then veer off to the back door, then back to the food bowl...
I'm quite sure I'm not a good listener. Most often I leave my hearing aid off on purpose. And I have never had a cat.
Hubby meets with a group of old bulls for coffee on Thursday mornings and I and a couple of wives sometimes go along. It is quite funny to observe and participate in conversations where some remember and some forget their hearing aids. I don't have one yet but sometimes I wonder if I need one. I know hubby does but hasn't gotten one. Sometimes I think we could make a good comedy routine from the group conversations.