Does Music Mellow your Cat?

Much has been written about the power of music to sooth the soul, aid relaxation, and improves developmental brain functions. But did you know that music might also help soothe your frazzled kitty? Musicians and music publishers have even composed and released compilations of mood music, specifically designed to help mellow your favorite feline friend.
If you're skeptical as to what music can do to help mellow your cat, consider this: a cat's sense of hearing is remarkably sharper than human's. Research shows that cats have a much more expansive hearing range than humans, ranging between 45 to 64,000 Hz. Compare that with the average hearing range of a human, which are 23 to 64,000 Hz. Cats are particularly adept at sensing sounds at the low and high end of the spectrum. This may explain why cats are prone to their infamous "caterwauling" at the sound of discordant music or sounds.

Cat's ears are physiologically designed to capture a variety of sounds, even those that occur at a far distance. The design of their ear canals allows cats to receive and magnify sounds, even at a far away distance. Cats have been shown to be able to detect relatively quiet sounds at distances of up to 30 feet away.

Since cats have shown to have a very good sense of hearing, it makes sense that the right music can help mellow your cat. For instance, consider the sweet, slow strain of a violin featured in a classical composition. The sound is high enough to capture your cat's attention, and may prove to have a sedative effect on him or her.

But how do you know what kind of music to play for your cat? Some cats are incredibly expressive. Cat owners have told stories about pets who scurry out of the room at the sound of loud music or a blaring TV set. The best way to see what your cat prefers is to experiment. Try playing a soothing classical piece and see what happens. If you note no perceptible reaction, try experimenting with more upbeat jazz tempo pieces. Some animal behavior researchers claim that loud rock or heavy metal music can disrupt your pet's relaxation patterns.