From what I understand, cats actually vocalize to humans. That is to say, when they "meow" at you, they are actually talking. They don't do this with other cats...or any other species for that matter. That communication is non-verbal.
Dogs, on the other hand, rely more on non-verbal communication with humans. Sure, there barks are designed to get your attention. But, that's it. Kinda like the way we wave at someone to get their attention. Once they see us and are in earshot, we start talking. Dogs, once they have our attention, use their tail, ear position, eyes, body shape, etc to communicate with us.
I am a firm believer that dogs and cats "talk" to us just like humans do.