Do you ever wonder about your cat’s level of hearing? What are they listening to when they turn and twist their ears seemingly to catch sounds from a distance or maybe close—sounds we can’t detect at all? Is it a beetle walking through a tangle of weeds? Or a weed-whacker two blocks away?
You’ve probably noticed how sensitive your cat is to loud sounds. Cats will often sort of recoil upon hearing the roar of a loud car or motorcycle outside. Lily is suspicious of delivery trucks and garbage trucks. Yesterday she went on high alert when a helicopter flew over too low. As much as she loves to eat, loud noises such as these will even disrupt her dinner.
It’s true that cats have more sensitive hearing than humans. They can hear sounds that we 
may not notice, and they’re also sensitive to loud noises and may even develop hearing loss when exposed to loud sounds for extended periods. Maybe you’ve noticed your cat leave the room when a movie you’re watching becomes noisy. I see Sophie stare at the TV sometimes. I thought she was just watching the movement across the screen. Perhaps, however, she is bothered by the sounds of loud speaking, a ships horn, or gunfire, for example. If you’re interested in knowing more about the workings of your cat’s ears—and you should be—here are a couple of sites I recommend: https://www.thesprucepets.com/how-sensitive-is-cats-hearing-555053 and https://www.cathealth.com/behavior/how-and-why/1328-how-well-cats-hear Here’s one that gives some ideas about protecting your cat from those household sounds that freak him out: http://pawesomecats.com/2014/09/03/sensitive-cats-hearing/
Both of our cats are suspicious of strangers and are generally aware when someone is approaching before we are. I suppose they hear a car parking out front or someone walking up our walkway. Who says cats aren’t good watchdogs? They also recognize the sound of us returning to the house after being gone. Sophie listens for the sound of Dennis’s car and will often greet him as he comes in the door.
I know that Lily’s hearing is sensitive by her reaction to the sound of water early in the morning. Lily’s morning ritual includes a sip of water from the bathtub spigot. She waits in anticipation for me to turn on the faucet each morning. But if I turn it a tad too far, the water makes a gurgling sound as it goes down the drain and she doesn’t like that. She’ll sit on the edge of the tub staring at me when that happens, waiting for me to fix it so there’s no gurgling. As soon as the water is dripping at the level that’s comfortable for her, she’ll take a drink.
Can a cat hear butterfly wings in the air or lizard feet on pavement? They can sure spot these critters when they’re outside. You’ve seen it happen—the cat is sitting peacefully or wandering around seemingly oblivious to her surroundings, when she suddenly leaps after a butterfly or chases after a lizard. I’ve seen Lily suddenly focus on a moth or fly high on the wall–something we did not see and certainly didn’t hear. You have to wonder which of her senses she used to become aware of the critter. Is it her hearing or something else? Cats certainly are fascinating little fur beings who are well-equipped with amazing survival techniques. And hearing is an important one.
