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Q: My wife and I have noticed that when we put on soft classical numbers, our cat seems to settle in and become calmer. Are we imagining this, or might she actually be responding to the music?
Tristan Sonier
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Dear Mr. Sonier,
A: You’re probably not imagining it. In research, when headphones were put on the ears of cats undergoing surgery and classical music was played, their heart rates decreased, as did the diameter of their pupils. Both are signs of a calmer state. By contrast, when heavy metal rock was played, both heart rate and pupil diameter increased.
Keep in mind that when you have soft classical music on, you and your wife are probably also in a relaxed state, which will influence your pet’s feeling of calm. Note: A cat can hear things four to five times further away than we can. The softer you can play the music and still enjoy it, the more your pet might like it.
