Cats, like dogs, do like music. But they do not like shrill, loud sounds.
Jane A Kelley in the article “Do Cats Like Music?” in Catster wrote, “Call me a data point of one, but my cats definitely do like music … with certain conditions, of course.”
In 2015, Kelley said a study showed cats like music but prefer music that is species-specific. This means that cats prefer songs near to the vibration of purring.
“One tune they tested, Cozmo’s Air, ‘has a pulse related to purring of 1380 beats per minute… with melodic sliding frequencies covering 44 percent of the sample.’ Apparently sliding frequencies are found in a variety of cat noises, but they aren’t found in human speech, “ Kelley said.
Kelley added: “My research (which includes 40-something years of living with cats, but is not scientific at all) indicates that cats do like people music, but they have a strong preference for certain tones and volumes.”
“For example, if I were to play loud, guitar-heavy music, my cats would run for the hills. Cats’ hearing is very sensitive, so when you play music at a high volume, it might be more than irritating for your cat—it could be physically painful. So, for the sake of my cats’ ears (and my neighbors’ peace of mind), I don’t play full-blast punk rock while I’m cleaning my apartment, “ Kelley said.
Kelley said her observations led her to believe that cats do not like shrill sounds.
“This makes sense because when cats make shrill noises, they’re fighting. Who wants to get that adrenaline rushy, fight-or-flight-y response while your person is listening to music?” Kelley said.
On the other hand, Kelley noted cats like songs that are “slow and have a droning sound to them.”
She gave as examples Krishna Das’s Om Namah Shivaya or Dead Can Dance’s Song of the Stars.
“I think the low drone reminds them of a purr, and it just seems to make my cats visibly relax when I play music that has a low drone as part of its melody.
My cats seem to like songs with strong bass. I’m not talking super dubstep-drop MEGA bass, but songs that have a pretty clear bass line. Again, the volume has to be comfortable to kitty ears, or else they’ll flee, no matter how much they like the bass sound, “ Kelley added.
Cats also appear to like female voices, “especially when they’re in the alto range and they’re singing mellow songs like Faith & the Muse’s Visions,” Kelley said.
Her cat Tara hopped into her lap and sat on her chest while the song was playing.
“Of course, cats’ enjoyment of music made for humans could well be because cats are so emotionally connected to their people—and any music that makes their people relax will make them relaxed and happy, too. If that’s the case, then it probably doesn’t matter what genre of music you play, as long as you stay away from shrill noises, harsh brass instruments, and hard-rock guitar riffs, “ Kelley said.
Lastly, she said, “So, do you need to buy yourself a bunch of music that’s composed just for cats? Eh, not necessarily. Just choose your music with care, play it at a low volume, and watch your feline friends enjoy!” DC