The language beasts speak.

[ Or, well, she understands other animals as well as cat. It's a Thing. ]

We have the same "mother". So I suppose in the way humans look at things, you're right. But don't tell him I called him anything like family if you ever meet him. [ HE WOULD BE INSUFFERABLE - okay no he wouldn't be but she can't ruin her street cred, Shijima has to give him the hardest time imaginable. ]