Research overview: sound localization acuity in the domestic cat

Pinpointing the direction of a sound is essential for a predator that hunts partly by ear, and cats are skilled localizers. This overview surveys studies of feline sound localization acuity, which combine timing and intensity differences between the two ears with spectral cues shaped by the mobile pinnae. Cats can localize sounds with considerable precision, helping them direct a pounce toward unseen prey in vegetation or darkness. The survey reviews the cues involved, interaural time and level differences for azimuth and pinna-derived spectral notches for elevation, and how the cat's movable ears refine the estimate. It connects this acuity to hunting in conditions where vision is limited. Studying feline localization has also informed general models of auditory spatial processing. The result is a picture of the cat as an animal that can place a sound in space accurately enough to strike at a target it cannot see.