What Frequencies Can Cats Hear?

Sound Waves and Frequency

• The ability to hear depends on how fast the sound waves are. The speed depends on the medium that the sounds are passing through. The complete back-and-forth vibrations of an atom particle is measured per unit of time and one vibration per second is called 1 Hertz (Hz). Sound puts pressure on an atom that moves and changes the next atom. Each animal species has a range for hearing that depends on the frequency and loudness of the sound waves. The frequency is the pitch and the loudness is the amplitude.

Cat's Hearing Range

• A cat has a hearing range of between 45 to 64,000 Hz. This allows them to hear higher-pitched sounds and this sensitive hearing makes it possible for cats to hear the a mouse's high-pitched squeaks. This sensitive hearing makes a cat effective mouse hunters.

Comparison with Other Animals

• Sounds at low frequencies are lower pitched and there is little difference between humans and cats at this range. A human can hear sounds from around 64 Hz. However, a human can only hear high-frequency sounds up to 23,000 Hz as compared with cats hearing sounds vibrating at 64,000 Hz.

  Cats have more sensitive hearing as compared with dogs whose range is 67 to 45,000 Hz. A bat's hearing is more sensitive and can detect higher frequencies at 2,000 to 110, 000 Hz.

Detect Direction of a Sound

• Smaller animals tend to have their ears far to the sides of their heads. The cat's external ear flaps, the pinnae, is large and cone shaped, and this helps to amplify sound waves. For frequencies between 2,000 and 6,000 Hz, the sound waves are amplified two to three times. The pinnae can move 180 degrees and they help a cat to lock onto sound sources.

  Cats can distinguish between sounds from the same direction at different distances. The finely tuned ears can separate two sounds that are around 18 inches apart at around a distance of 20 feet.