There’s been a lot of debate over whether animals like music or not. Some people say that animals react to music in a similar way that humans do, while others believe that animals don’t really understand the concept of music. So, what’s the truth? The answer is… it depends. Different animals seem to enjoy different types of music.
Birds…
Birds are probably one of the most widely known animal species that seem to love music; studies have shown that birdsongs are often similar to music made by humans. Ravens, for example, have been known to mimic human speech and even songs from other animals. This type of behaviour is often referred to as “song mimicry”, and it’s something that is seen in a lot of different bird species.
Dolphins…
It’s not just birds that seem to enjoy music, though. Dolphins are another well-known species that are often associated with music, particularly because dolphins love to swim in groups near boats where there is typically music playing. Some people even say that the dolphin’s interest in music makes them “dance” in the water. Of course, there isn’t any scientific data to back up this claim, but it’s still an interesting idea.
Octopi…
One of the most surprising animals that seem to love music is the octopus. Scientists recently discovered that the octopus has a muscle in its arm that it can use to control its movement in the water, and it often uses this muscle to create patterns when it’s around other octopuses. In one particular study, scientists observed an octopus that was mimicking the sounds of music that was being played near it.
It’s really hard to tell whether animals like music the way humans do but here are studies that may tell us just how animals like music too.
Classical music relaxes dogs
Dogs have been shown to enjoy music, with research indicating that they can distinguish between different styles and rhythms. One study published in the Journal of Veterinary Behaviour suggests that playing classical music may help alleviate some of the stress that dogs tend to experience when housed in kennels.
The study found that dogs were more likely to lie down when classical music was played and spend less time barking. Playing heavy metal music, on the other hand, appears to cause the dogs to become more nervous and stressed, leading to increased trembling.
Cats like music composed specifically for them
For our furry feline friends, cats seem to like music too but there is a catch: they prefer music composed just for them. In a study published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science Journal, the researchers composed species-appropriate music for domestic cats and tested its effects compared to music composed for humans.
Results show that cats enjoy and prefer music specifically composed for them as opposed to music for humans. With about 2 octaves higher than human music, cat-specific music tends to affect the cats’ behaviours, causing them to turn their head toward the direction of the speaker, move towards it, sniff or rub against it and make purr sounds while the cat music is on.
Conclusion
It seems that animals like music just as much as humans do! From dolphins dancing around boats to cats preferring music composed specifically for them, it is clear that animals enjoy listening to different types of music. Even birds and primates have the same response to music as humans do, indicating that animals truly appreciate the beauty of music.
