When you play music in the house, how does your pet interact with it? Do you notice that they exhibit different reactions when you play different kinds of music? Were you able to decide what his favorite kind is? If those questions seem a bit surprising to you, be prepared for more surprising information. Against the conventional belief that music is a uniquely human phenomenon, scientists have discovered that pets also interact with different kinds of music. In this article, Pet Barn will introduce to you the types of music your pet will probably enjoy the most, according to the latest studies. So next time you leave your pet alone at home, you can make it less “ruff” by playing your four-legged friend some nice tunes to listen to while you are away.
Pets and Music in Recent Studies
Several studies have been on pet’s interaction with music, and here we list some of their fantastic discoveries, some of which are unexpected:
- Studies show that your pets have interests different from your own!
Many pet owners assume that their pets will enjoy the same kind of music that they do, but that is far from the truth. Scientists have found out that your pet’s musical preference might differ from yours.
- We know more about dogs’ musical preferences than about cats’ musical preferences.
Because our feline friends are famous for being independent and indifferent to what is going around them, it could be more challenging to know about their musical preferences. They would not show signs of enjoyment or disdain when listening to music. Moreover, as you will see later, cats’ top music preference is not the human music we listen to, especially that our fluffy pals have different acoustic, vocal, and heartbeats ranges from us.
- Dogs and cats have somehow different music preferences
- Classical Music
Though studies show that classical music has a soothing effect on both cats and dogs, these two pets have somehow different musical tastes. Dogs seem to enjoy classical music more, while cats prefer nature sounds recordings full of birds chipping. The science behind that is that, unlike humans who prefer rhythms similar to mother’s heartbeats, cats like rhythm and sounds they hear after they are born. Yet, you can use classical music as a signal for your cat to get her in the mood for an upcoming event. For example, when it is playtime, you can play her lively classic music and then choose some gentle classical music when you want to relax in the evenings.
- Reggae, soft rock, and pop
In a study, dogs spent less time standing and or time sitting when any music was played for them. Nevertheless, when measuring their heart rate, they showed a decrease in stress level, particularly when the music played was soft rock and reggae. In other words, dogs like these two kinds even better than classical music.
As for cats, their second preferred genre appears to be pop as it has a positive and soothing effect on them, similar to classical music. Dogs, on the other hand, showed no reaction to this kind of music. It seems that they neither enjoy nor hate pop.
- Heavy Metal
Our pets do not enjoy this kind of music because it appears to raise their stress level. Recent studies have shown that this type of music makes your dog shake and bark and prevents him from getting any sleep. The same thing applies to cats who feel agitated when they hear heavy metal.
- Dogs and cats seem to have individual musical preferences.
Though studies provided some generalizations on what pets like in music, researchers also noticed that cats and dogs have their own musical preferences. So do not be surprised if you see that your dog or cat likes a genre not mentioned in this blog.
- You can always go for music specifically designed for cats or dogs
One of the most impressive results of the studies centered on pets and music is what we call species-specific music. By definition, species-specific music is a specifically designed composition that incorporates the pitches, tones, and tempos familiar to a particular species. You can find playlists of pieces that are specifically designed for your cat or your dog.
Try Music Next Time You Leave Your Pet Home
Because the world of our pets is more complicated than we think, it might take you a while to discover the music that your pet enjoys. The information in the blog is to guide you while searching for his most favorite genera. If you have already found it, do not hesitate to leave it on the next time you head to work or any other place to which you cannot take your dog or cat. Music may help your pet pass the time while you are away from him. It could be the best gift you give to your pet!
Try it and tell us about his reaction in the comments! And for those of you who had tried it before, what kind of music did you play? How did your pet react to it?
