Can Classical Music Help a Cat Relax? Vet-Approved Facts & FAQ
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If you have an anxious or stressed feline, you’re probably looking for ways to help your furry friend unwind when necessary. While some cats relax through play and interaction, others might like listening to music to calm down.
However, many feline parents don’t know which music is relaxing for cats, and since classical music tends to have a calming effect on humans, they wonder if classical music can help a cat relax.1
Although cats can enjoy listening to music, they are not fond of human music. Classical melodies might not bother your feline, but they’re still not the best way to calm them down. But why don’t cats like classical tunes? Which music can help them relax?
To understand the music preferences of cats, you need to understand their hearing range and sound preferences and discover their musical likes and dislikes.
The Secrets of a Cat’s Hearing Range
Cats are animals known for their keen senses; from their sense of smell to their sense of hearing, these little creatures are truly superior to most other mammals.
Felines have a broad hearing range that enables them to detect both high and low frequencies, sometimes referred to as pitches. These represent the frequency of sound wave cycles per second, known as hertz (Hz).
While humans can hear frequencies between 20 and 26,000 hertz,2 a cat’s senses are much keener, as they can hear frequencies between 48 and 85,000 hertz.3 Felines also have better hearing than most other animals.
- Cats: 48–85,000 hertz
- Dogs: 67–65,000 hertz
- Horses: 55–33,500 hertz
- Cows: 23–37,000 hertz
- Rabbits: 360–42,000 hertz
- Rats: 250–80,000 hertz
As you can see, our feline friends are quite dominant when it comes to hearing all kinds of frequencies, meaning that they’re more sensitive to the sounds in their environment.
Do Cats Like Music? What Kind of Music Do They Like?
Before discussing whether classical music can help cats relax and how it affects them, we need to know if cats like music in the first place and if so, what kind they like.
Due to their excellent hearing senses, cats have unique sound preferences. There’s been various research on how music affects cats and which genres suit them best.
Research on Feline Music Preferences
A pilot study from 2015 explored the effect of musical genres on felines under anesthesia,4 showing that they were responsive to the sound of various genres (pop, classical, heavy metal, etc.).
The research also discovered that according to their parameters, each musical genre affected the cats differently. The parameters of the tested cats were lower when exposed to classical music, were significantly higher when exposed to heavy metal, and had intermediate values when exposed to pop music.
While this is beneficial information, another study went even deeper into understanding cat sound preferences,5 including music. Researchers investigated the effect of human music, classical music, and species-appropriate music on cats. The results were that cats experienced lower stress levels when listening to classical music, but they showed a preference and reacted the best to species-appropriate music.
For cats, species-appropriate music represents music that includes cat vocalizations (purring, meowing), has a specific tempo, and has a normal vocal frequency.
When listening to cat-specific music, the tested cats were much calmer, and their stress levels were much lower than when listening to other musical genres, including classical music, or listening to no music.
So, Can Classical Music Help Cats Relax?
Classical music can be somewhat relaxing to felines, and it can have a calming effect on their stress and handling scores. That said, most cats prefer listening to classical music over being in silence or listening to musical genres like pop, heavy metal, or rock.
However, while classical music can help cats relax to a certain extent, it’s not the most suitable option for calming your furry friend. It’s scientifically proven that cats react the most positively toward cat-specific music and that it’s best for relaxing a stressed feline and reducing their stress levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is There Particular Music That You Shouldn’t Play When Your Cat Is Nearby?
Generally speaking, there’s no music that you shouldn’t play around your cat, but before playing a certain track, you should be aware of your cat’s hearing range and the way that certain sounds will affect them.
Since they have sensitive hearing, cats get alerted even at the slightest sounds, which is why they usually dislike loud noises. So, it’s best to stay away from playing any type of loud music, especially fast-paced genres like heavy metal.
How Can You Make a Cat-Friendly Playlist?
Cats enjoy listening to species-specific sounds, which typically include purring, meowing, and similar sounds. The main function of cat-friendly music is to soothe cats and help them relax.
So, if you want to create a cat-friendly playlist, try to find music that incorporates cat-appropriate sounds that your feline will find enjoyable.
If you’re not fond of those noises, however, you can still play classical music to your feline, as it will still have a somewhat soothing effect. Just whatever you do, stay away from loud, stressful genres like rock music, as those may stress your cat out even more.
You can also browse the internet for inspiration, as there are many platforms, such as Spotify, that offer user-created cat playlists that may be suitable for your feline.
The 3 Ways to Help a Cat Relax
While playing classical or cat-specific music can have a soothing effect on your cat, there are various other ways that you can help them relax.
1. Create a Peaceful and Relaxing Environment
To help your cat cope with stressful occasions, consider creating a peaceful and relaxing environment where they can unwind. The best way to create a cat sanctuary is to enrich the space with high areas where your cat can climb, add plenty of toys and scratchers, and make the room warm and cozy.
2. Make Time for Play, Cuddles, and Interactions
Cats love to play and interact with humans, which is why social interactions are ideal for helping your kitty relax. Try to incorporate playtime into your daily routine, and ensure that your cat gets plenty of ways to explore, exercise, and get cuddly with you.
3. Use Cat-Friendly Calming Products
There are various synthetic pheromone diffusers and over-the-counter cat-friendly calming products that you can use to help your cat relax. The best thing about these is that they don’t require a prescription from your vet. However, you should still talk to your vet before giving any meds to your cat, to prevent possible mishaps.
Final Thoughts
Classical music can help cats relax but only to a certain extent. If you want your furry friend to truly unwind, try playing cat-specific music. You might be surprised by the outcome!
Featured Image Credit: Lightspruch, Shutterstock
