Since they’re so tiny and adorable, many people wonder if cats can know what ultrasonic sounds are like.
Well, much like people, cats can listen to what ultrasonic sounds can do. whether they’re playing or interacting with their friends, cats can respond to your sonic vibrations.
So, can cats hear ultrasound? Cats can hear ultrasound the same as humans can!
But it’s different from how we hear ultrasounds. Cats can hear these sounds from 30 kHz – 60 kHz and the pitch goes up to 70kHz.
Cats can hear these sounds in higher frequency than humans can, but still able to hear the sounds up to 20kHz lower than humans can. In other words, cats can hear ultrasounds, but humans can’t hear the ultrasounds that cats can hear!
Can Cats Hear Ultrasound?
Yes, and cats can differentiate them from natural sounds.
Ultrasound is a kind of sound pressure wave at too high a frequency for humans to hear.
Ultrasound is used by many animals including bats and whales for echolocation.
Ultrasonic frequencies between 45 and 50 kHz can be heard by cats as well as dogs.
This capacity was most likely an evolutionary adaption that allowed early felines to detect prey in the dark.
Why Can Cats Hear Ultrasound?
Ultrasound refers to sound waves that are higher than human hearing range.
The range of 15-20 kHz are called high frequencies and these higher frequencies are above the range of human hearing.
Cats’ ear pinnae (ear flaps) act as directional amplifiers, allowing cats to concentrate the sound specifically on their left and right ears.
The serval is the clearest example of this trait, since they are the only cats that possess specialized hearing structures called “tufts of hair” within their ear pinnae.
The cat’s brain evaluates sound variations between the ears, and compares the data it receives from each ear to determine its precise location.
It’s also worth noting that, as most cat owners know, cats can hear prey moving through the woods from a great distance away.
Ear pinnae are controlled primarily by the facial nerve, which is also known as the VII cranial nerve, and is also known as the vestibulocochlear nerve; the trigeminal nerve, the facial nerve is a mixed motor and sensory nerve and innervates the auricle and the back of the skull.
Domestic cats often listen to us intently when we talk or sing to them; they can even detect our heartbeat.
This may seem ‘impolite,’ but it’s just their way of bonding with the people who care for them (they probably like hearing the sound of our heartbeats because it reminds them of the feeling of purring.
Can a Cat Listen to an Ultrasound?
Cats can hear a wide range of frequencies in their environment, but ultrasound — that is, sound with a frequency higher than that of the human ear — is above the range of normal hearing.
In addition, unlike other animals with specialized ears that can hear this sound, cats do not have the extra structures in their ear pinnae that would allow them to hear ultrasound.
Cats can detect ultrasonic noises, and processes in their brain help them determine the source of the sound.
Cats have a decreased sensitivity to ultrasound compared to other mammals.
Are Cats Sensitive to Ultrasound?
This causes the gadget to generate high-frequency noise that is unpleasant to cats and other animals.
Some believe that it is this high-frequency noise that causes cats to twitch their ears when exposed to this type of frequency.
Cats’ ability to perceive ultrasonic sounds is not very different from their ability to perceive other environmental sounds, so their ability to distinguish an ultrasonic sound from a natural sound is not so influential to their hunting success.
However, some cat owners believe that some cats are able to hear the heartbeat of their kittens through an ultrasound device inserted inside the kitten’s mouth.
Can Animals Hear Ultrasound?
Ultrasound is sound with a frequency higher that the normal human ear can hear (20 kilohertz) and is commonly used in medical diagnostic imaging and in industrial purposes.
If you’re wondering if cats can hear ultrasound, the answer is ‘yes’.
Cats can hear sounds up through the range of ultrasound frequencies.
Also Read: Why Does My Cat Sound Like A Pigeon?
Conclusion
In conclusion, cats can hear ultrasounds the same as how humans can hear them!
Although cats are small and adorable creatures, they can respond to ultrasonic sounds just like us! Cats can hear such sounds from 30kHz – 60kHz and the pitch goes up to 70kHz!
Cats can hear these sounds in higher frequency than humans can! Cats can hear these sounds in higher frequency than humans can!
But cats can’t hear these sounds that humans can hear! So, it’s safe to say that cats can hear ultrasounds just like how humans can.
