Understanding Cat Hearing vs Dog Hearing Abilities

Cats have a wider range of hearing, with some frequencies as high as 79 kHz, compared to dogs which top out at around 40 kHz.

Cats can also pinpoint the source of a sound more easily than dogs, thanks to their larger ears and more sensitive hearing.

Dogs, on the other hand, have a stronger sense of hearing in the lower frequency range, which helps them detect sounds like thunderstorms or distant barks.

This difference in hearing abilities can be attributed to the unique anatomy of each animal's ear, with cats having a more mobile ear and dogs having a more rigid one.

On a similar theme: Dog Hearing Frequency

Cats can pick up sounds between 45 to 64,000 vibrations per second, which is a relatively broad range for mammals. Dogs, on the other hand, can pick up sounds between 67 Hz to 45 kHz.

Cats do a better job of picking up on sounds, with a more sensitive sense of hearing than dogs and humans. A healthy cat's hearing ability is a true biological marvel, with their ears capable of rotating up to 180 degrees to locate and identify even the faintest of squeaks, peeps or rustling noises.

Both cats and dogs have ears that are made up of three main parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear.

Cats can pick up sounds between 45 to 64,000 vibrations per second (Hz), which is a relatively broad range for mammals.

Dogs, on the other hand, can pick up sounds between 67 Hz to 45 kHz. This means cats can hear both lower and higher frequencies that dogs can't.

Cats also do a better job of picking up on sounds. Both cats and dogs have ears that are made up of three main parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear.

Dogs have 18 muscles in their ears, allowing them to tilt and rotate them in the direction necessary to focus in on and identify a sound.

Cats have an even more sensitive sense of hearing, with ears that can rotate up to 180 degrees to locate and identify sounds across an impressive frequency range.

Here's a comparison of cats and dogs' hearing ranges:

In the hearing Olympics, the cat is the clear winner, with a hearing range of 45–85,000 Hz, one of the broadest hearing ranges of any land mammal in the world.

Cat hearing is incredibly sensitive, with a range of 30Hz to 60,000Hz, allowing them to pick up sounds that are beyond human detection.

Dogs, on the other hand, can hear sounds ranging from 40Hz up to 40,000Hz or potentially higher, which is why they respond to high-pitched training whistles.

Cats can rotate their ears up to 180 degrees to locate and identify sounds, making them expert sound detectives.

Dogs have 18 muscles in their ears, allowing them to tilt and rotate them to focus on specific sounds.

Cats have a unique structure on their outer ear, known as Henry's pocket or the cutaneous marginal pouch, but its purpose is still unknown.

Both cats and dogs can move their ears to direct them towards sounds for better reception, making them both highly effective at tracking down noise.

Cats have a greater range of hearing than dogs, particularly in high-frequency ranges, which is thought to be important for hunting.

A cat's hearing range is one of the broadest of any land mammal, spanning 45-85,000 Hz. This allows them to pick up sounds much further away than humans can, with some sources suggesting they can hear sounds four times further away than we can.

Cats have more ear muscles than dogs, with 32 compared to a dog's 18. This enables them to swivel their ears up to 180° and move each ear independently, helping them pinpoint sounds from different directions. Their ears are also extremely sensitive, allowing them to hear decibels as low as -5 to -15 dB.

Their hearing is so acute that a healthy cat can even judge within three inches the location of a sound being made three feet away, which is essential for hunting prey.

If your cat is perking up its ears, it's a clear sign that it's heard something you haven't. Dog owners often notice this in their canine companions, but cats are just as sensitive to sounds.

Your cat's body language can indicate that it's detected a noise. Clues to look for include alertness, barking, head tilting, raised ears, and head turning. These signs are similar to those exhibited by dogs.

Other signs your cat has heard something include ears rotating and tilting, head or entire body moving to follow the source of the sound, barking or growling at the sound, and sniffing in the direction of the sound.

Here are some specific signs to watch for:

These signs can help you determine if your cat has heard something you haven't, and it's a good idea to pay attention to them.

Cats have an incredible range of hearing, with a broad range of 45–85,000 Hz, making it one of the broadest hearing ranges of any land mammal in the world.

Their ears are like a sophisticated satellite dish, capable of rotating up to 180 degrees to locate and identify even the faintest sounds.

The delicate nature of a cat's ear canal makes it an ideal environment for ear troubles like otitis externa, which is the inflammation of the outer ear canal.

Cats can hear sounds at great distances – four or five times farther away than humans – and can even judge within three inches the location of a sound being made three feet away.

Their hearing is so sensitive that they can pick up sounds as low as -5 to -15 dB, while humans can typically only hear sounds at 0 dB.

Here's a comparison of different animals' hearing ranges:

Cats' hearing is so impressive that it's thought to be important for hunting, as many rodent species communicate with ultrasonic calls.

Dogs have 18 ear muscles, while cats have 32 ear muscles, allowing them to swivel their ears up to 180° and move independently from each other.

Their ears are highly specialized for sound detection, with the pinna (outer ear flap) rotating up to 180 degrees to locate and identify sounds.

Dogs can hear sounds four times further away than humans, and cats can hear sounds at great distances – four or five times farther away than humans.

The size and shape of a dog's ears affect their ability to move their ears and funnel sounds, while a cat's ear muscles enable them to identify and capture sounds from different directions.

Dogs can hear decibels as low as -5 to -15 dB, while cats can hear sounds at great distances and can even judge within three inches the location of a sound being made three feet away.

Here's a comparison of the hearing ranges of different animals:

Cats can hear much higher-pitched sounds than dogs, with a range of up to 1.6 octaves above the human range, and one octave above the range of a canine.

Cats have an incredibly sensitive sense of hearing that's even better than dogs and humans in many ways. Their ears are like a sophisticated satellite dish, capable of rotating up to 180 degrees to pick up even the faintest sounds.

A cat's external ear flap, or pinna, is highly flexible and can make a 90-degree bend as it travels to the deeper parts of the ear. This unique anatomy allows them to pinpoint sounds with great accuracy.

Cats can hear sounds at great distances, four or five times farther away than humans can. They can even judge the location of a sound being made three feet away within just three inches.

One of the most impressive aspects of a cat's hearing is their ability to hear sounds in the ultrasonic range, up to 1.6 octaves above the human range and one octave above the range of a dog. This is thought to be important for hunting, as many rodent species communicate with ultrasonic calls.

Cats are also capable of hearing sounds that are much higher-pitched than humans can, with a range of 55 Hz to 79 kHz. This sensitivity to high-frequency sounds is likely an adaptation for hunting small prey.

Curious to learn more? Check out: Dog Hearing Protection Hunting