Research overview: the broad feline hearing range and ultrasonic sensitivity

Cats hear across an exceptionally wide frequency range, and this overview reviews its extent and predatory value. Feline hearing extends well into ultrasonic frequencies, higher than humans and even most dogs can detect, reaching into the range of the squeaks and rustles made by rodents. This lets cats detect and locate small prey by the high-pitched sounds they emit. Researchers measure hearing through behavioural audiograms and cochlear electrophysiology. Why it matters: the ultrasonic reach of cat hearing is a key sensory adaptation for hunting small mammals, complementing night vision and tying the ear directly to the diet. It also helps explain feline responsiveness to high-pitched cues, from prey noises to the calls of kittens, and marks the cat as one of the more acoustically gifted terrestrial predators.