Cats come with plenty of personality, but it seems like they have one thing in common: they like to jam out to the same kind of music.
While your feline friend may put up with your daily mixes on Spotify, studies show that music made for humans doesn’t seem to influence them the same way it does us. To understand this better we take a closer look at what goes into cat-preferred music and whether this matters in the end.
Do Cats Like Human Music?
Cats don’t necessarily dislike human music, but researchers hypothesize that cats prefer music:
- In a specific frequency range
- With similar tempos to those used in their natural communication
- That mimics the rhythmic and tonal qualities of their purrs
These are similar to the criteria that influence the type of music humans prefer, but there are a few key differences in our development cycles that influence preferences.
Characteristics of Cat-Friendly Music
Cat composers like David Teie (Music for Cats) focus on turning the natural sounds of life into enjoyable musical pieces for our feline companions. These songs may not make their way onto our Liked lists, but they evoke a sense of familiarity that respects your cat’s unique experiences.
For example, humans like music that has a pulse similar to what we might have heard in the womb. We could try to emulate this for cats, but they wouldn’t have the slightest subconscious memory of it–their brains would have been too small.
Instead, cat music may include other sounds of kittenhood, like suckling for milk or the comforting purrs of the mother. One of Teie’s better known pieces, “Cosmo’s Air”, has a pulse closer to 1380 rpm (similar to purring), and it uses familiar feline tones.
It doesn’t all have to be cat sounds, either. Anything that piques their interest or simulates familiar events, like hunting, from bird or bug sounds to woodwinds playing at their preferred frequency range.
How Does the Right Music Help Cats?
According to a study on the effects of music on behavior and the physiological stress response of domestic cats in a veterinary clinic, cat stress scores are significantly lower when listening to cat music before or during a physical veterinary examination.
The Cat Stress Score (CSS) evaluates a cat’s body language to determine how stressed, fearful, or relaxed they may be. A fully-relaxed cat with a lower score may be lying lazily on their side, exposing their stomach, or even sleeping. Cats with high scores are rigid, ready to run but also frozen in fear.
While this study is specific to a medical environment, it indicates that the right music can decrease their overall stress levels and improve mood. It also indicates that cat music comes out on top, even when compared to gentle human-centered pieces like “Élégie” by Gabriel Fauré.
While this study is specific to creating a less stressful vet visit for your cat, it’s pretty safe to assume these results could carry over to daily life.
Music Genres that Most Cats Don’t Like
So, you know that cats prefer music written specifically for them, but is there anything you should avoid?
Cats may not like some of the louder, rowdier pieces you find in heavy metal or rap genres. The higher frequencies of stellar guitar riffs may be more irritating to their sensitive ears, and the heavy bass we all seem to love can come across as threatening or foreboding for them.
They like predictability in their environment, so they might not appreciate innovative songs with inconsistent melodies or huge variations in pitch like you do.
This varies from cat to cat, though, so look out for signs of stress like restlessness, hiding, dilated pupils, or aggression that’s unusual for your cat. It might be time to change the channel.
Should You Play Music for Your Cat?
Most cats don’t need music to enjoy their lives—they’re content with absorbing the sounds that occur naturally around them.
That said, they also won’t balk at the chance to listen to something new, fresh, and exciting. Music can provide interesting auditory stimuli that they don’t get in the safety of your home, maximizing their enrichment.
Music can also help regulate cats that tend to be more stressful or help them handle big changes, like moving to a new place or dealing with a new addition in the home. Music can often help your cat feel happy and content.
It also doesn’t hurt to throw on some Cat Music in the car on the way to the vet; it might make their visit go a bit smoother, both for your cat and your vet.
