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A cat's ear, specifically the external ear or pinna, is easily noticeable due to its large, cone-shaped, upright form. It amplifies sound waves, particularly frequencies between 2-6 kHz, which can be amplified by 2 to 3 times.
Thanks to numerous muscles controlling its movement, a cat's pinna can rotate up to 180 degrees to locate and distinguish even faint sounds.
Loud noises increase a cat's blood pressure due to the stress it causes. Many pet owners don't realize the impact of high noise and stress levels on a cat's health and behavior.
Pet owners can reduce their cat's stress and noise levels by creating a peaceful space away from loud noises and avoiding harsh language when interacting with them. These simple steps can improve a cat's well-being and happiness
Cats have exceptional hearing, surpassing that of humans, and can hear sounds beyond human perception. They use this ability for hunting, communication, and avoiding danger. Cats can even detect ultrasonic noises made by rodents.
When living with a cat, it's important to be mindful of noise levels. Excessive noise causes stress and can harm their hearing. On the other hand, cats use sound for communication. Safe noise levels for cats are around 95 decibels or lower. Prolonged exposure to noise exceeding 95 decibels can lead to permanent hearing damage, while short loud noises at 120 decibels can also cause hearing loss.
Cats appreciate peace and quiet, and it's crucial to limit their exposure to constant noise. In our noisy world, it's comforting to know that cats prefer calm environments.
Frequency is the rate at which a wave repeats, expressed in Hertz (Hz). Hertz was the first to generate and detect electromagnetic waves. 1 Hz equals one cycle per second. Kilohertz (kHz) is a unit equal to 1,000 Hertz (Hz), commonly used to measure sound waves, especially in music.
The human ear can hear sounds between 20 Hz and 20 kHz. The domestic cat's hearing range for sounds at 70 dB sound pressure level is between 48 Hz and 85 kHz, making it one of the most sensitive mammals in terms of hearing. This indicates that cats have evolved enhanced high-frequency hearing without losing low-frequency hearing
The decibel is a unit used to measure the volume of sound. Decibels are logarithmic, meaning a 10x increase in noise level corresponds to a 10x increase in decibels. A sound 10 dB louder is 100 times louder.
To safeguard your cat's hearing, it's important to be aware of surrounding noise decibel levels and limit your cat's exposure when possible. By providing a quiet space away from loud noises, you can reduce your cat's exposure to harmful decibel levels
Hearing Loss from Loud Noises in Cats
Noises over 95 dB can potentially lead to hearing loss in cats. Surprising sources of noise at this level exist in homes, such as power tools, lawnmowers, hair dryers, loud music, and vacuum cleaners. These sounds can cause discomfort and anxiety in cats, leading them to try to escape. Prolonged exposure to these noises can result in hearing loss. The same sensitivity applies to human ears, so using earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones is recommended if exposed to such noises
