Music for your pet? – You Bet!

How do you think your pet feels about your music? Have you ever left the radio playing when you’re away because you think they find it soothing in your absence? Charles Snowden, an animal psychologist at the University of Wisconsin, says your pet really couldn’t care less what you listen to – it’s just not relatable. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a tune for them though!

What Kind of Music DO They Enjoy?

Animals (people included) enjoy sounds with tones similar to their species vocal range, and tempos similar to their heart rate. It only makes sense that they would need a music of their own! And that’s just what researchers have been working on! Back in 2009, Mr. Snowden teamed up with composer, cellist, and clearly animal lover David Teie, to try their hand at music for animals. After some promising results when they composed songs for monkey’s, they decided to try their hand at pleasing cats. Curious what cat music sounds like? For $1.99 you can purchase cat songs online at Music For Cats. Check out the video below for a sampling, or order the full album from their website!

What about music for dogs? Turns out dogs are a bit trickier than cats to please, since there are so many breeds with varying tones and heart rates. It is suspected, however, that large dogs may respond to human tunes since their vocal ranges are closer to that of human males. Just don’t suspect your chihuahua to respond very favorably!

With advancements like this, maybe one day you’ll tune your radio into a special station just for your pet before you head out the door. It also may come in handy for pets scared of thunderstorms, or for use in vet’s offices to calm nerves. Something tells me, we won’t find it that relatable though!

photo credit: The Heat is On via photopin (license)