'I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.’
So said singer-songwriter Billy Joel, but I doubt he would ever imagine that his words would not only apply to music for humans but for cats too.
I must admit, when I first heard about music for cats, I was a bit sceptical. Could this be just another gimmick created by someone wanting to cash-in on the popularity of our feline friends?
Not so.
Just as science has shown us that music can benefit us humans, for example by reducing anxiety and helping to improve motor and cognitive function in stroke patients, a recent study published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery has demonstrated that music can also benefit cats.
But not any old music.
David Teie a composer, conductor and musician with the National Symphony Orchestra has created music specifically for cats using purrs, suckling for milk sounds and frequencies that match cat vocal ranges.
The music has been tested and verified by a leading animal neuroscientist at Georgetown University, USA and two independent studies conducted by researchers at the University of Wisconsin and the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine have concluded that the feline-specific music has positive effects on cats. The latter stating that “cat-specific music may benefit cats by decreasing the stress levels and increasing the quality of care in veterinary clinical settings.”
As a Cat Behaviourist this is something I’m going to be trying out on some of the more anxious cats I treat, and if your cat suffers with his nerves, I would say it’s definitely worth giving this a try.
You can find out more about music for cats at www.musicforcats.com.