# Keen Hearing: Dogs & Cats **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 31, 2001, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keen-hearing-dogs-cats/79212 "2001-08-31T22:24:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keen-hearing-dogs-cats/79212/1 "2001-08-31T22:24:38Z")
Do cats have as broad a range of wavelengths in which they can hear sounds - as dogs do? ---
**Author:** ![evilhanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba8739/32.png) [@evilhanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhanz)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keen-hearing-dogs-cats/79212/2 "2001-08-31T22:39:02Z")
From the [Discovery.com](http://Discovery.com), [Guide to Your Cat: Ears and Hearing](http://animal.discovery.com/cat_guide/ears.html): > [@](#): > > While dogs are renowned for detecting high-pitched whistles far beyond human hearing, cats actually hear much higher frequencies than canines and are only slightly inferior at the low end of the frequency scale. They also can detect the tiniest variances in sound, distinguishing differences of as little as one-tenth of a tone, which helps them identify the type and size of the prey emitting the noise. This heightened sense of hearing is especially important in wildcats, which depend on hunting for survival. It also enables wild and domestic feline mothers to hear faint squeals of distress from their cubs or kittens when they stray too far away. ---
**Author:** ![evilhanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba8739/32.png) [@evilhanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhanz)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keen-hearing-dogs-cats/79212/3 "2001-08-31T22:40:03Z")
Oh, so to answer your question, their range of hearing is broader and more precise.