Do Cats Have Good Hearing?

Cat Facts / By

Cats are very smart and their hearing is extremely sensitive, they can even hear whispers.

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They are easily distracted and easily startled by sounds. Cats’ hearing is much better than ours.

Do Cats Have Good Hearing?

They are more sensitive to high-frequency sounds. Because of this, they can distinguish between two sounds only 3 inches away.

Why is their hearing so good?

Anatomy

Cats hear better than humans because their ears are more sensitive. Their ears are also smaller, making it easier for them to detect sounds.

Cats are very smart animals and can hear sounds up to a meter away. They use this ability to hunt down their prey.

Their hearing abilities allow them to identify the type of prey that made the noise, and how big it is.

The pinnae are shaped like cones and allow them to capture and amplify sounds.

Cats’ ears are equipped with many muscles that enable them to locate sounds.

Their ears are moved by themselves when they hear something interesting.

When a cat hears a noise, it moves its head and then its ears.

This is because cats use their ears as an indicator of things happening around them.

Hunting

As mentioned, cats use their ears for hunting and the ability to hear noises from far away give them a distinct advantage.

Their ears are pointed which enables them to hear what is happening around them.

Cats are silent predators that often hunt at night and their ears allow them to hear clearly what’s going on around them.

This sense helps them survive in the wild and mothers watch over their babies by listening carefully to them.

Compared To Other Animals

Cats are more sensitive to sound than any other living creature.

Humans and cats share the same low-frequency hearing range. However, cats can hear higher frequencies than humans.

What about dogs, their so-called arch enemy? Cats’ hearing is much better than dogs’.

Their ears rotate 360 degrees to detect sounds. They can hear high pitched sounds.

They can hear sounds at great distances and they can judge within 3 inches the location of a noise being made three feet away.

What about other senses ?

Dogs have poor color vision, but excellent night vision. They can detect movement over half a mile away.

Cats’ eyes are more specialized to see in rapid changes of light.

Ear Problems

Ear Problems

Deaf cats are very rare. Cats who are born deaf usually lose their hearing within two years.

Infections, tumors, and genetics cause some cats to lose their hearing.

Deaf cats can be hard to deal with because they don’t understand what people say or feel when they’re being touched.

Their lack of hearing makes them vulnerable to danger.

However, a diagnosis of deafness doesn’t necessarily mean the end of life for cats.

With proper care, they can be trained to hear again. Still, the best thing is for owners to protect them at home.

If your cat has particularly dirty ears it may affect their hearing but there are ways to make them more comfortable.

Ear cleaners should be used carefully to avoid causing any damage to the ears.

Hydrogen peroxide or alcohol may irritate the ear canal, however, antibacterial or antifungals are helpful in preventing ear infections.

Certain ear cleaners remove wax buildup. A vet can help you choose an appropriate ear cleaner.

Cats’ ears need to be cleaned regularly because dirt accumulates over time.

Q-tips are not recommended as an ear cleaner, as they could damage the eardrum.

Cotton balls or gauze should be used instead. It’s a good idea to give treats after each ear cleaning session.

Cats’ ears should be cleaned once every month. Cleaning your cat’s ears too frequently could irritate them.

Some cats have sensitive skin around their ears and it is possible that cleaning them too much could make them feel pain.

If your cat’s ear is red, swollen, or painful, consult your vet before cleaning.

They may have an ear infection, or your cat may have a ruptured eardrum.

How To Clean Cat Ears

So, how do you clean ears without initiating feline wrath?

Hold the cat’s head while washing the ears. You may use an ear brush or spray the solution directly into the ear.

Make sure you do not touch the tip of the bottle with your hands.

Clean the inside as well as the outside of the cat’s ears. Be careful not to squeeze too much liquid into the ear canal.

Continue to hold the ear flap while massaging the base of the ear. Squish the ear flaps together to get rid of any debris.

Wipe off the inside of the ear flap and use a cotton ball or gauze to clean out the ear canal.

Cats should be allowed to shake their heads when cleaning their ears.

If your cat appears to be in pain when you’re cleaning out its ears, you should stop and talk to your vet about what needs to be done.

Cleaning your cat’s ears isn’t painful, but if your cat has an ear problem, you’ll need to wash them thoroughly before applying medication.

Other Senses

Cats’ eyes are very sharp, but their vision isn’t as strong as we think.

Their eyes are made up of many different layers, including reflective ones, and they can detect light better than humans do.

Cats’ eyesight is sharper than humans’, but their sense of smell is much stronger than ours.

However, cats’ eyesight is weaker than ours when it comes to seeing in low-light conditions.

Cats’ sense of smell is 15 times stronger than ours.

Your cat uses both eyes and noses to navigate their environment. When your cat grimaces or sneers, it means he is sniffing something.

Taste is the weakest of the feline senses, as cats have fewer taste buds than either dogs or humans.

Their whiskers help them feel around objects.

Conclusion

So, that’s why cats have good hearing! If you share your life with a feline companion then you understand these fascinating creatures are a joy to have around, understanding what makes them unique helps us appreciate these furry little friends.

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Courtney Trent
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