Mary Allen
Cat music usually describes unusually loud (and unmelodic) music. In this case, however, researchers have found out which music is really for the cat ‘- and where your cat can relax completely.
In previous studies, researchers found that classical music relaxed cats more than, say, rock or pop. The scientists at Louisiana State University incorporated these results into their study structure. They played “cat-specific” classical music and no music to the cats for 20 minutes each. Meanwhile, the cats were examined by a veterinarian. The visits were two weeks apart.
Study Shows: “Cat-specific” Music Can Reduce Stress
In order to check whether the cats were stressed in the respective situation, the researchers evaluated the posture and behavior as well as the reaction of the cats to the veterinarians and medical assistants. In fact, the cats showed fewer signs of stress when listening to “cat-specific” music than when they were playing classical music or no music at all.
However, this relaxation effect could not be demonstrated in the blood. To do this, the researchers took blood samples and compared the ratio of neurophils to lymphocytes, which are two types of white blood cells. The researchers suspect, however, that the period of 20 minutes could simply be too short to determine effects in the blood.
Cats Like Music in Their Voices
But what exactly does “cat-specific” music actually mean? For their study, the researchers used melodic cat sounds, such as purring. These were accompanied by music that has a frequency similar to that of cats’ voices, about two octaves higher than that of humans. That explains “Medical News Today”.
For the study, the experts examined 20 domestic cats. The results can help cat owners create a relaxed atmosphere for their velvet paws. They could also improve the quality of the environment in veterinary practices, the researchers said. If there is cat music playing in the background, it could make visiting the vet more pleasant for cats in the future.
Even streaming providers have recognized that cats like different music than humans: You can create a playlist for your cat on Spotify.