In short, cats do enjoy music. But the long answer is more complicated. Some noises cats like and some noises cats don’t like. For example, a cat might be scared of the vacuum cleaner, but it might be familiar with its owner’s voice. You can tell the difference between what noises cats like and don’t like by looking at their behavior.
While this may be disappointing, it doesn’t mean that your pet will start jamming out whenever they please. Instead, you might notice that they act differently when different songs are playing. But why is this? Unfortunately, there isn’t a short and sweet answer to this question.
How Can Cats Like Music?
It can be difficult to know if your cat enjoys the music you’re playing or not because they usually don’t have any reaction. This is because cats’ acoustic, vocal, and heartbeat ranges are all different than ours, so they just perceive human music as some sounds rather than actual melodies. But don’t worry! There’s still a chance for your cat to enjoy whatever type of genre you listen to.
Did you know that cats only enjoy music if it’s composed with frequencies meeting their acoustic, vocal, and heartbeat range?
In fact, cats have a hearing range of 55 Hz on the low-pitched scale and approximately 79 kHz on the high-pitched scale– which means they can hear 1.6 octaves beyond what humans are capable of! So for your kitty to actually groove along with a tune, it needs to be in said animal’s audible frequency spectrum.
What Type Of Music Do Cats Enjoy Listening To?
Composers have created music specifically for cats that mimics the natural notes they interpret, resulting in some truly interesting tracks. For example, one of the most famous pieces is Cozmo’s Air by a team of researchers at the University of Wisconsin.
According to several studies, cats do enjoy cat-appropriate music and have even been known to rub against speakers when they hear it. This is because the notes in this type of music mimic those found in a feline purr or other sounds that cats make, such as meowing.
While cats don’t necessarily need music to live a happy life, it can help ease their mood if they’re distressed. Playing music your cat enjoys during car rides to the vet or while they’re home alone is not a bad idea.
