Cats do seem to enjoy music, but not the same music that humans do—according to the latest research. There are many other forms of soothing music that cats will enjoy listening to, but not all cats have the same preference.
Introducing music into your cat’s life can be entertaining, but it is important to play the right music to your cat. Cats do not care much for the type of music we like to listen to and instead seem to have specific preferences when it comes to the music they like.
This article will tell you everything you need to know about how cats respond to music and which types of music will engage their interest.
A Study on Cats’ Music Preferences
There was a study published in the Journal of Applied Animal Behaviour Science1 that stated that for cats to enjoy music, it must be species-specific music that meets the same frequency and vibration as sounds that are comforting for cats.
The University of Wisconsin psychologists and study authors Megan Savage and Charles Snowdown have a hypothesis that for music to be effective for cats, it must be conducted in their frequency range with similar tempos to that used with the animal’s natural form of communication.
To test the researcher’s hypothesis, they turned to a musician named David Teie to create songs that would fit into those categories. In this study, they tested 47 different domestic cats and played specific songs and then compared the cats’ reactions to two human songs.
After these studies, the researchers concluded that the cats showed a “significant preference and interest in” the cat-appropriate music compared to the humans’ songs that they played, to which the cats didn’t respond. In the study, they also found that cat-appropriate music evoked better reactions from both younger and older cats rather than middle-aged cats.
Can Music Influence a Cat’s Mood?
It is believed that certain types of music can either lower or raise a cat’s stress levels. This can be seen by a cat’s reaction to music with heavy bass (such as rock and heavy metal music genres), which can cause cats to become agitated or distressed, whereas soothing classical music may have a calming effect on your cat.
This makes it important to choose music that your cat will enjoy and, more importantly, will not stress them out. Cats have very sensitive hearing and pick up on sounds and vibrations that might be overwhelming to them but sound like standard music for us.
Cats generally have no interest in the music you will listen to on the radio, even though most cat owners may leave the television or radio on when their cat is left alone so that there is white noise throughout the house.
What Type of Music Do Cats Like?
Cats enjoy listening to species-specific music. This type of music usually has frequencies that appeal to your cats, such as the sounds of birds or purring vibrations. Music can have a positive impact on your cat, especially if you play them the right type.
David Teie has a variety of different songs specifically made for cats that you can find on his website. This type of music is constructed for cats, and many cat owners have reported that their cats are more enthusiastic and relaxed when this music is played in comparison to human songs.
Final Thoughts
Cats will appreciate listening to songs that fit into the category of natural sounds and frequencies, soft classical music, or songs specifically designed for cats. You may have to play different tunes to your cat to see which ones they respond to most positively, but most cat-targeted songs will influence your cat’s reaction.
Next time you decide to leave music on when you leave the house to ensure your cat is not left in silence, try playing the music they prefer and see if you notice a significant difference in how they react to the new music!
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Featured Image Credit: Anfesamo, Pixabay
I'm in day 50 with a 2 yr old feral neutered about three weeks ago. He's in a former bedroom with a tall cat tree by the large window, has lots of cozy places to hide/sleep, different food puzzles (he's expert) – everything I can think of to try to lower his fear and gain his trust. I play soft harp music, which I find very soothing…but cannot tell if it has any effect on him at all. Is there any way to know?
Hi Marcie, thanks for helping this cat. You need to rely on behavioral observations, be familiar with the signs of stress versus the behavior of a cat that is relaxed. The following post might be a good start:
How to Tell if a Cat Is Stressed – https://www.catster.com/cat-behavior/how-to-tell-cat-is-stressed/
How To Read a Cat’s Body Language – https://www.catster.com/cat-behavior/how-to-read-a-cats-body-language/
How to Tell if Your Cat Is Happy – https://www.catster.com/cat-health-care/how-to-tell-if-your-cat-is-happy/
How to Get a Stray Cat to Trust You – https://www.catster.com/cat-behavior/how-to-get-stray-cat-to-trust-you/
We hope this helps, if you need any personalized tips, feel free to contact www.pangovet.com they will be happy to help!