Ongoing History Daily: Grand piano for cats

April 19, 2024 Alan Cross 0 Comments 0 min read

Cats have awesomely good hearing. While most humans top out at 15,000 Hz, cats can detect sounds up to (and maybe beyond) 64,000 hz. That’s eleven octaves, one more than even a dog. It helps them hunt prey.

This got some scientists thinking “Well, if we’re going to make music for cats, then we should be sure to use their entire hearing spectrum!” The result is a special grand piano that, when played in its upper registers, can only be heard by felines.

To test it out, a pianist performed a series of songs for a row of cats. Selections included some national anthems along with Jay Z and the Backstreet Boys.

According to video shot during the experiment, the cats really seemed to dig it—although to me, it also proves they have terrible taste in music.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

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