If someone told you cats don’t listen, that’s not true! Did you know cats have 32 muscles in their ears? Also, cats have a highly developed sense of hearing relative to humans, they can hear sounds that are too faint for a human and can also detect sounds that are too high or too low in frequency. But have you ever wondered how your cat knows where you are in the house when you call out to her? Here we will discuss the hearing abilities of cats and how they can detect your presence from a long distance.
What Makes Cats' Hearing Advance?
Hearing Abilities of Cats
A cat’s hearing is like a superpower. Humans and cats can hear similar frequencies, but cats can pick up higher-pitched sounds than humans or dogs. Cats have one of the most advanced hearing ranges which are around 48 Hz to 85 kHz. This broad range gives the cat ability to hear loud sounds without sacrificing the ability to hear low-frequency sounds.
Cats’ ability to detect approaching animals from very far distances would be especially advantageous for a lightly built predator that is naturally stealthy and agile. This hearing not only helps them to detect predators but also helps them to locate the presence of their owners.
This cat behavior also helps them detect their owner’s presence through mental awareness and by just listening to their voice. Studies have shown that cats exhibit an awareness of three-dimensional space around their owner without the use of sight or other senses such as smell.
Hopefully, you learned a little more about how your cat can hear so well. Their hearing range is beyond a human’s. Let us know if you learned something new in the comments.
Sources:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0257611