December 1, 2010

By request, a cat post


Cats are the owners of extraordinary ears. They can hear much higher frequencies than dogs can, and can pinpoint the origin of a sound when as far as 3 feet away from it. Their ability to detect variances in sound helps them identify the type and size of thing making it. This essential for mother cats, who need to hear if their kittens are in trouble if they stray out of sight.


Have you ever been reading or doing some other quiet activity, and noticed your cat suddenly sitting up, twitching its ears and switching its tail? Usually, that means kitty hears a car in the driveway, another animal, or in the spring, one of those giant dimwitted flies that is bumbling through the house. You, human, and your big flappy ears can't hear those things as soon as a cat does. My friend Doug the Artist used to say that if a human couldn't determine any noise, but the cat still seemed alert, that meant the cat was detecting supernatural activity. I think he was kidding.



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