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Do you ever wonder about your cat\u2019s level of hearing? What are they listening to when they turn and twist their ears seemingly to catch sounds from a distance or maybe close\u2014sounds we can\u2019t detect at all? Is it a beetle walking through a tangle of weeds? Or a weed-whacker two blocks away?<\/p>\n
You\u2019ve probably noticed how sensitive your cat is to loud sounds. Cats will often sort of recoil upon hearing the roar of a loud car or motorcycle outside. Lily is suspicious of delivery trucks and garbage trucks. Yesterday she went on high alert when a helicopter flew over too low. As much as she loves to eat, loud noises such as these will even disrupt her dinner.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s true that cats have more sensitive hearing than humans. They can hear sounds that we Both of our cats are suspicious of strangers and are generally aware when someone is approaching before we are. I suppose they hear a car parking out front or someone walking up our walkway. Who says cats aren\u2019t good watchdogs? They also recognize the sound of us returning to the house after being gone. Sophie listens for the sound of Dennis\u2019s car and will often greet him as he comes in the door.<\/p>\n Can a cat hear butterfly wings in the air or lizard feet on pavement? They can sure spot these critters when they\u2019re outside. You\u2019ve seen it happen\u2014the cat is sitting peacefully or wandering around seemingly oblivious to her surroundings, when she suddenly leaps after a butterfly or chases after a lizard. I’ve seen Lily suddenly focus on a moth or fly high on the wall–something we did not see and certainly didn’t hear. You have to wonder which of her senses she used to become aware of the critter. Is it her hearing or something else? Cats certainly are fascinating little fur beings who are well-equipped with amazing survival techniques. And hearing is an important one.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Do you ever wonder about your cat\u2019s level of hearing? What are they listening to when they turn and twist their ears seemingly to catch sounds from a distance or maybe close\u2014sounds we can\u2019t detect at all? Is it a … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/OiolesJuly-075-276x300.jpg\")
may not notice, and they\u2019re also sensitive to loud noises and may even develop hearing loss when exposed to loud sounds for extended periods. Maybe you\u2019ve noticed your cat leave the room when a movie you\u2019re watching becomes noisy. I see Sophie stare at the TV sometimes. I thought she was just watching the movement across the screen. Perhaps, however, she is bothered by the sounds of loud speaking, a ships horn, or gunfire, for example. If you\u2019re interested in knowing more about the workings of your cat\u2019s ears\u2014and you should be\u2014here are a couple of sites I recommend: https:\/\/www.thesprucepets.com\/how-sensitive-is-cats-hearing-555053<\/a> and https:\/\/www.cathealth.com\/behavior\/how-and-why\/1328-how-well-cats-hear<\/a> Here\u2019s one that gives some ideas about protecting your cat from those household sounds that freak him out: http:\/\/pawesomecats.com\/2014\/09\/03\/sensitive-cats-hearing\/<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/lilywater-029-225x300.jpg\")
I know that Lily\u2019s hearing is sensitive by her reaction to the sound of water early in the morning. Lily\u2019s morning ritual includes a sip of water from the bathtub spigot. She waits in anticipation for me to turn on the faucet each morning. But if I turn it a tad too far, the water makes a gurgling sound as it goes down the drain and she doesn\u2019t like that. She\u2019ll sit on the edge of the tub staring at me when that happens, waiting for me to fix it so there\u2019s no gurgling. As soon as the water is dripping at the level that\u2019s comfortable for her, she\u2019ll take a drink.<\/p>\n