Are Cat’s Ears Sensitive?
Cats have one of the most sensitive hearing of any animal out there, able to hear noises at a range of 45 to 60,000 hertz. For reference, humans can only hear sounds at a range of 20 to 20,000 hertz. Cats can hear extremely high frequency sounds, even higher than most dogs can.
As a result of their acute hearing, certain noises have an extreme effect on cats. High pitched and abrasive sounds will cause them distress, and as such, you’ll want to make sure such sounds are not around them.
Bell Damage to Cats
Believe it or not, bells have been known to cause damage to cats’ hearing. Having a bell around their neck, or one ring near them, have been linked to an increase in stress and in some cases, hearing loss.
Sounds That Cats Hate
So, we’ve already explained just how sensitive cat’s ears are and that they can hear sounds at much higher frequencies than you and I. Because of this, certain types of sounds will heavily agitate cats. Let’s explore a few sounds that cats hate.
Electronics
The first sound that cats tend to hate is the sound of electronics. Cats can pick up the sound of our electronics simply being on, which emit high frequency sounds that us humans cannot hear. These sounds come from computers, televisions, smoke detectors, TV remotes, and many other electronic devices.
Noises emitted from electronic devices can even have a negative effect on your cat’s health. Recent studies have shown that noises that agitate or annoy animals will tend to make them sleep worse and cause changes in their cardiovascular and endocrine systems. Some elderly cats have even been known to have seizures because of sensory overload.
Hissing
Another classic sound that cats hate is hissing. Because cats use hissing to scare off predators or other cats, this sound is already abrasive and upsetting to them. Hissing, then, may cause your cat to feel threatened and will cause their stress levels to elevate significantly.
Loud Sounds
Beyond these first two sounds, cats hate any noises that are loud. Because of their extremely sensitive ears, loud noises like a fire alarm, a passing ambulance, a vacuum cleaner, or even thunder can be startling and painful to them. Interestingly enough, cat’s have a defense mechanism to reduce the effect of loud sounds on their ears. Tiny muscles in their middle ear will contract to protect the inner ear from noises that are too loud.
Sounds That Cats Love
There are also a few sounds that cats love. These are sounds that will put them at ease and make them feel safe and calm. The first is music. Not just any music, though. Loud heavy metal rock, for example, probably won’t sooth your cat at all. Cat’s tend to love piano music and other soft instruments. Any music that also mimics the purring tones of cats is something that will put cats at ease as well.
Another sound they love is cat toys that mimic prey. The toy sounds they most enjoy are ones that add some realism to their play hunting. Because play is so important for a cat’s development, toys that make prey sounds are especially comforting to them.
Smart Home Sounds for Your Cat
We now live such a modern life, surrounding with all kinds of smart products, which do bring us so much convenience. However, we may take our furry kids into consideration as pet parents ourselves, if they feel the same way as we do. Especially when it comes to automated pet products, their sounds may fail to keep your cat at ease.
So, as we explained earlier, cat’s generally love soft, relaxing sounds. This includes the sound of running water, trickling fountains, or burbling brooks. They certainly won’t want to drink from a noisy water fountain. as well as why cats have such sensitive hearing.
Here’s where quiet cat water fountain comes in. With its ultra-quiet professional water pump, cat can drink without having to worry about loud sounds interrupting it.
Operating at just 29DB, since pet water fountain is almost silent. The only sound your cat will hear is the quiet trickle of water, gently soothing it as it hydrates and enticing it to