In operating rooms, many doctors play music to keep everyone upbeat and cheerful. Now veterinarians in Portugal have found that music may keep cats calm during surgery, as well.
In a paper published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, researchers fitted 12 female cats with headphones. While they were being spayed, the unconscious cats listened to two minutes of silence, followed by two minutes each of Barber’s ‘Adagio for Strings (Opus 11),’ Natalie Imbruglia’s ‘Torn,’ and AC/DC’s ‘Thunderstruck.’ Meanwhile, the researchers recorded each cat’s breathing rate and pupil diameter as a proxy measure of its stress levels.
While listening to the classical music, the cats’ heart rates slowed and their pupils got small, indicating they were relaxed. AC/DC, on the other hand, made them more anxious, which is the exact same effect that music has on most parents.
So play classical music around your cat. Your cat will get calm and relaxed so maybe you can actually get something done around the house without a cat getting in the way all the time.
To read more about this music study with cats, click here.
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