My husband and I are musicians. We’ve adopted several cats over the years (only because we were on the road so much that leaving a dog for long periods of time would not be good for the dog) and have noticed that certain kinds of music have a beneficial effect on cats. Almost all these feline friends came from abuse, neglect or were abandoned because of illness or age.
Our Charlie Bear came from abuse, and it took years before he fully trusted us. When we brought him home, he was violent and reacted in fear. We gave him his own room which happened to be my husband’s music studio/office. We played Mozart, Bach, Debussy, Grover Washington Jr. and Pat Metheny for him. The music stopped one time and when I went in to start the CD again, Charlie didn’t attack; he looked right at me and lay on the floor letting me pet him! Another cat, we named him Murphy liked to be held like a baby, cradled in my arms and would purr as I sang to him. He let me know he wanted me to sing to him by placing his paw on my cheek near my mouth. He’d fall asleep in my arms with his left paw on my face. When I practiced piano, he and our cat Sammy would often come and sit near my feet or be asked to be held. Which often resulted in my knowing the left hand better than the right in some pieces.
When Murphy became ill, we stayed with him until it was time to take him to the vet so he could pass on. As my husband and I said goodbye, I hummed to Murphy and his last act was to put his paw on my face. Does this mean he ‘heard’ my singing or was it the bonding action and safe space I created for him?
I tell you this story not to make you sad but to show you proof (at least to me) that those who share this earth with us can and do hear us and the music we make. And we can feel the positive effects of our sounds.
My grandfather used to play country or “classical” music in the barn for his dairy cows; he said they were calmer and gave more milk. I’ve heard stories in the family of how humming for chickens can calm them or singing (vs. talking) to piglets can make their little tails wag in rhythm to the song. Interestingly, I found the same result in a paper.
For another perspective read, check out this article.
One other link. And yes, my cat Gracie used to “sing” with me like this. I was singing ‘Amazing Grace’ in our local shelter and she reached out and touched me: OPERA CAT FULL VERSION
Do you play or sing music for your animals? Does it influence their behavior, their wellbeing? How does it make you feel?
I don’t know scientifically if the music we make, sing, and play truly reaches our animal companion’s cognitive understanding. However, what I have experienced is that it seems to bond us closer together and create trust between us. Plus, it’s really fun.
Sara Vokes
Music Director, The Meetinghouse
