Do Cats Enjoy Listening to Music?
If you’re listening to music at home, you might be wondering if cats enjoy it. And, if they do, what types of music do cats enjoy listening to? Even though you don’t see your cat tapping their paws to the beat, it’s possible that they are loving the music as well. Now, let’s hear what scientists and musicians have to say on this topic.
What Kind of Music Do Cats Enjoy Listening To?
Do cats enjoy listening to music? The proof is in the purr, as they say. Researchers published their findings in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science, concluding that cats enjoy listening to music – as long as it is the music they enjoy. But what kind of music do cats enjoy listening to, and how do we know that they do? At the end of the day, they cannot tell us whether they like a Mozart symphony or a Brahms symphony.
A talented cellist who has performed with artists ranging from the National Symphony Orchestra to Metallica, David Teie composes music at tempos that are meant to resemble purrs, bird chirps, and even nursing sounds.
He creates “species-appropriate music,” which he aptly refers to as “Music for Cats” (Music for Cats). For the sake of research and testing his theory that cats — particularly young cats and kittens — strongly prefer species-appropriate music over music created for humans, he donated his music to researchers.
What does music that is specifically for cats sound like? ‘In some tracks, noises reminiscent of bird chirps are mixed with rushing streams of staccato for an energetic impact,’ according to The New York Times.
The use of crescendos of purring and suckling sounds is intended to soothe the listener in other cases.”
Currently, music created expressly for cats is intended to comfort them rather than to entice them to move their bodies.
According to Teie, who spoke to The Telegraph, this is partly due to the fact that speakers “don’t make noises that are high-pitched enough” in order to convey more dynamic sounds that cats can pick up.
According to the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, cats can hear frequencies as high as 64,000 hertz, although humans can only hear frequencies between 20 and 20,000 hertz, according to the same publication (JAHVMA).
In other words, cats will prefer music that is in the frequency range and has tempos that are similar to those used in cats’ natural communication, according to Megan Savage and Charles Snowdon (psychologists at the University of Wisconsin), who wrote about their findings in a PBS documentary.
The question is, how can these scientists know that a cat enjoys this particular piece of music? According to Smithsonian Magazine, researchers would measure how much the cats purred, rubbed against the speakers, or oriented their heads and ears toward the music to gather data.
Do Cats Enjoy Listening to Music at Home?
While cats prefer to hear sounds that are peculiar to their species, this does not rule out playing human music in their presence. The type of music you chose is the most crucial thing to consider.
Dr. Susan Wagner, who specializes in music therapy for animals, describes for the Journal of the American Humane Veterinary Medical Association a study in which 12 cats were spayed while classical, pop, and rock music was played.
Classical music elicited the greatest positive responses from the cats, followed by pop music. Heavy metal, on the other hand, boosted their pulse rate and increased the size of their pupils; in other words, rock music made them feel worried.
When it comes to playing music for your kitty, any time is a good time to do so.
If you decide to leave your music player or television turned on while you’re away from home, choose music that is relaxing.
All cats, regardless of their age, will appreciate relaxing sounds, whether they are classical music, nature sounds, or music that has been specifically composed for them.
Is it possible for kittens in the womb to benefit from music in the same way as it does for human babies? Although there is no scientific evidence to support this, it probably wouldn’t harm to try.
Making a Cat Playlist is a fun project.
In order to create a playlist for your feline companion, you should take into consideration the sound frequencies that cats prefer.
Teie’s music is composed primarily of instruments such as the cello, piano, flute, and harp, which are also found in the works of Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, and Puccini. All of these composers are commonly featured on cat playlists that are created by other cats.
If you are not a fan of classical music, look for other genres that will appeal to you and your cat, such as New Age music or natural sounds, and include them into your daily routine.
Relax with your canine companion by kicking back, cranking up the music, and taking it easy.
Fact-Finding:
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