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There is no evidence-based winner. Dogs and cats can both respond to music, but the available studies do not compare the two species head-to-head or measure “musical enjoyment” in the human sense. Dog experiments have tracked posture, heart-rate variability (HRV), barking and cortisol in kennels, while cat research has measured behavioral stress during veterinary examinations. Those are useful responses, not a species-wide taste test.
The fairest answer to “Do dogs or cats like music more?” is that both may benefit from carefully chosen sound in particular situations. A cat-specific recording lowered stress scores in one clinic study; music of several genres changed activity and HRV in kenneled dogs. Neither result proves that every cat prefers cat music, that classical music always calms dogs, or that either species is a better music lover.
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What would “better music lover” actually mean?
For people, loving music usually implies a conscious preference, pleasure and the ability to choose one recording over another. Animal studies rarely measure those things directly. Researchers instead record observable or physiological outcomes such as lying versus standing, handling resistance, stress scores, HRV or hormone concentrations.
A pet that lies down during a song may be more settled, tired, distracted or simply reacting to the environment. A lower stress score during a veterinary examination is encouraging, but it does not demonstrate that the cat experiences music as humans do. Conversely, a lack of measurable change does not prove that an animal heard nothing or disliked the sound.
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That distinction matters because the dog and cat studies use different species, locations, recordings and outcome measures. A result from a kennel cannot be placed on the same scale as a result from a veterinary examination and treated as a contest.
What the available studies actually compared
| Study or review | Animals and setting | Sound intervention | Measured outcome | What it can and cannot show |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cat veterinary-clinic study | Cats undergoing physical examinations; sample size was not confirmed in the accessible abstract | Silence, classical music or cat-specific music | Behavioral cat-stress and handling scores; neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio | Cat-specific music was associated with lower behavioral scores than silence or classical music in this clinic context. The blood-cell ratio did not differ, and the result does not establish a home preference. |
| Bowman, Dowell and Evans et al. (2017) | 38 kenneled dogs observed over five days | Soft rock, Motown, pop, reggae and classical music | Time spent lying or standing, HRV and urinary cortisol; barking after music stopped | Music of all five tested genres was associated with more lying and less standing. Soft rock and reggae produced the largest HRV change; cortisol findings were mixed. It was not a dog-versus-cat preference trial. |
| Engler and Bain (2017) | 74 dogs in a veterinary-hospital randomized study | Modified classical music, original classical music or no music | Owner satisfaction plus owner and clinician ratings of anxiety and aggression | Owners exposed to original classical music reported greater visit satisfaction than owners in the no-music condition. The authors said further research was needed to establish effects on pet anxiety. |
| 2020 canine auditory-enrichment review | Multiple canine studies in varied environments | Classical and music designed for dogs | Results across studies and outcomes | The literature was limited and variable, with no clear added benefit for dog-designed music over classical selections. |
| 2025 veterinary review | Studies of dogs and cats in several contexts | Classical, species-specific and other music | Stress, behavior and physiological measures | Some positive and some null findings. The review warns against treating human genre labels as universal animal preferences. |
Because each row asks a different question, the table supports a context-dependent conclusion, not a ranking. The evidence is strongest for statements such as “this sound was associated with this response under these conditions.” It is not strong enough for “dogs are more musical than cats.”
What happened in the cat-specific music study?
Lower behavioral stress during examinations
Cats in a veterinary clinic heard either silence, classical music or music composed for cats while they received physical examinations. Those exposed to cat-specific music had lower cat-stress scores and lower handling scores than cats in the silence or classical conditions.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe finding is relevant because a clinic is a stressful, unfamiliar setting where restraint and handling can amplify fear. A recording that coincides with calmer behavior could make an examination easier. It still does not tell us whether the cats would select that recording at home, prefer it to every other sound or experience it as enjoyable.
The physiological measure did not change
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios did not differ between the music conditions. That does not cancel the behavioral result, but it shows why a single measure cannot stand in for “liking music.” Behavior and a blood-based stress marker may respond on different timescales or capture different parts of the experience.
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What you should not infer
- The study did not prove that all cats prefer cat-specific recordings.
- It did not test a named retail album, streaming playlist or physical CD.
- It did not establish that the effect persists during ordinary home listening.
- It did not show that cats prefer cat-specific music to every genre or to silence in every situation.
What happened in the dog music studies?
Five genres in 38 kenneled dogs
In the five-day kennel study, 38 dogs heard soft rock, Motown, pop, reggae and classical music. During music, dogs spent more time lying and less time standing regardless of genre. That pattern is consistent with reduced activity or greater settling in the kennel, but lying down alone is not proof of pleasure.
HRV changed most with soft rock and reggae. HRV is an indirect measure influenced by many factors, so the result should be read as a physiological response under the study conditions rather than a chart of canine musical taste. Urinary cortisol findings were mixed, and barking increased after the music stopped. That post-music increase could reflect a transition effect, kennel activity or other causes; the study does not establish why it occurred.
Most importantly, the dogs did not show a clear, universal genre winner. The broad activity pattern appeared across all five genres, while some physiological measures varied by genre.
A 74-dog veterinary-hospital trial
A randomized study of 74 dogs compared modified classical music, original classical music and no music during veterinary-hospital visits. Owners who heard original classical music reported higher satisfaction than owners in the no-music condition. Owner and clinician ratings of anxiety and aggression also differed across conditions, but the authors did not present the trial as proof that music reduces pet anxiety.
Whitney J. Engler and Melissa Bain concluded: “Further research is necessary to determine the effects of music on pet anxiety.” That conclusion is narrower than a claim that classical music calms every dog. Owner satisfaction is a human-reported outcome; it is not identical to a dog’s emotional state.
What the canine review adds
A 2020 review described canine auditory-enrichment research as limited and variable. It found no clear added benefit from music specifically designed for dogs over classical selections. That means a “dog music” label is not, by itself, evidence of superiority. A recording may still be useful for an individual dog, but the label cannot predict the response.
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A 2025 veterinary review reports approximate hearing ranges of 20 Hz–20 kHz for humans, 65 Hz–45 kHz for dogs and 48 Hz–85 kHz for cats. These figures indicate that dogs and cats can detect frequencies outside much of the human range. They do not rank musical ability, prove that an animal hears a tune as a richer experience, or identify a preferred genre.
Sound features may matter more than the human category attached to a song. The review discusses possible effects of pitch, tempo and volume and cautions against assuming that a human genre translates directly to a pet. A “classical” track can contain sharp high notes or sudden crescendos; a “soft rock” track can be gentle or loud. The label is a rough description, not a sound-level specification.
The review also warns against overgeneralizing from genre, stating: “Researchers contend against overgeneralization of results solely in terms of genre, being a subjective human definition and a highly heterogeneous category.”
Why dogs and cats cannot be declared a winner
The settings are not equivalent
Dogs were studied in kennels and a veterinary hospital; cats were studied during clinic examinations. A kennel’s repetitive noise, social separation and daily routine differ from a cat’s examination and handling. A response that helps in one environment may have little effect in another.
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The dog study tested five human genre categories. The cat study tested cat-specific music alongside classical music and silence. Different recordings, durations and playback conditions mean that “music” was not one standardized treatment.
The outcomes are not equivalent
More lying, a change in HRV, a handling score, an owner-satisfaction rating and a neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio are different endpoints. They should not be combined into a single score for “musicality.”
The studies are not head-to-head
No cited experiment exposed dogs and cats to the same recordings in the same setting and measured the same outcomes. Without that design, a species comparison would be speculation.
How to try music safely with your own pet
The studies support a cautious, observational approach rather than a guaranteed treatment. Use sound as an optional environmental enrichment tool, not as a replacement for veterinary care or behavior treatment.
- Choose a calm moment. Start when your pet is already settled, not during a crisis, thunderstorm or severe separation distress. A baseline makes changes easier to notice.
- Use low volume. Keep playback comfortably below conversation level and avoid sudden starts, heavy bass or sharp high-frequency sounds. The goal is a stable background, not a concert.
- Offer a short trial. Play one recording for a limited period while you remain present. Do not change several variables at once; otherwise you will not know whether the sound, volume or situation caused a response.
- Watch the whole body. Note posture, movement, breathing, ears, tail, attempts to hide, panting, vocalization and willingness to eat or approach. A single lie-down is not enough to label a song a favorite.
- Stop at clear distress. Turn the sound off if your pet hides, freezes, paces, pants, repeatedly vocalizes, shows defensive behavior or tries to leave. Give the animal access to a quiet area.
- Repeat on separate days. If the first trial appears neutral or helpful, repeat it under similar conditions. An isolated response may reflect fatigue, visitors, pain or another environmental change.
- Compare with silence. On another calm day, keep the setting similar but omit music. This simple comparison is more informative than assuming that any quiet behavior came from the recording.
- Document the result. Record the track type, volume, duration, setting and observed behavior. Share persistent stress signs with your veterinarian.
Reading common reactions without overinterpreting them
| What you observe | Possible interpretation | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Lying down more often | The pet may be more settled, sleepy or less active in that moment. | That the pet enjoys the music or prefers the genre. |
| Approaching the speaker or staying nearby | Curiosity, attention to vibration or comfort with the sound. | That the pet understands or appreciates the composition as a human would. |
| Hiding, pacing or leaving | The volume, pitch, novelty or surrounding situation may be unpleasant. | That the species as a whole dislikes music. |
| More vocalization after playback ends | A transition or unrelated kennel or household event may be involved. | That the pet is requesting the song again. |
| No visible change | The recording may be neutral, or the chosen measure may not capture the response. | That the pet cannot hear or has no preferences. |
When music may be useful—and when it is not enough
Potentially useful situations
Quiet, predictable sound may help mask abrupt household noises or make a routine environment less empty for some animals. The dog kennel findings suggest that several genres can coincide with more resting under controlled conditions. The cat clinic finding suggests that cat-specific music may be worth discussing as an optional part of a low-stress examination protocol.
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These are possibilities, not prescriptions. An individual response should determine whether you continue.
Situations requiring a veterinarian
Music should not be used to manage unexplained aggression, persistent fear, pain, appetite loss, compulsive behavior, severe separation distress or repeated panic. Those signs can have medical or behavioral causes that sound cannot diagnose. A veterinarian or qualified behavior professional can help identify the cause and treatment plan.
Common claims that the evidence does not support
- “Classical music always calms dogs.” Dog responses varied by study, genre and measure, and the veterinary trial called for more research on anxiety.
- “Cats naturally prefer cat music.” One clinic study found lower behavioral stress with cat-specific music, but it did not establish a universal preference or a home effect.
- “Dogs prefer soft rock or reggae.” Those genres showed the largest HRV change in one 38-dog kennel study; that is not the same as a stated preference.
- “A wider hearing range means a species enjoys music more.” Hearing range describes detectable frequencies, not pleasure or musical understanding.
- “A pet that lies still is definitely happy.” Stillness can also reflect fatigue, uncertainty, freezing or illness; interpret the full body and context.
- “Music replaces anxiety treatment.” No cited study supports using playback as a substitute for veterinary assessment or a behavior plan.
A practical decision guide for dog and cat households
| Your situation | Reasonable first step | Evidence-based caution |
|---|---|---|
| Dog settling in a kennel-like routine | Try low-volume, steady music and observe lying, standing, vocalization and recovery after playback. | The five-genre study found more lying across genres, but cortisol results were mixed and barking rose after music stopped. |
| Dog visiting a veterinary hospital | Ask whether a quiet, consistent music option is compatible with the clinic’s protocol. | Owner satisfaction improved with original classical music in one 74-dog trial; anxiety reduction was not established. |
| Cat facing a veterinary examination | Ask the veterinary team about cat-specific music and keep an escape or quiet option where possible. | The lower stress and handling scores came from one clinic study; the sample size was not confirmed in the accessible abstract and home generalization is unknown. |
| Pet reacts to household noise | Reduce the noise source first, then test gentle background sound at low volume. | Do not force the pet to remain near a speaker or assume music addresses the underlying fear. |
| Choosing between “species-specific” and ordinary music | Compare recordings by the pet’s observed response rather than by the label. | The canine review found no clear added benefit for dog-designed music over classical selections, and the feline study did not evaluate a retail product. |
So, do dogs or cats like music more?
The evidence cannot answer that as a species-wide contest. Cats have a promising, specific behavioral result from cat-specific music during veterinary examinations. Dogs have broader evidence that several genres can coincide with changed activity and HRV in kennels, plus a veterinary study showing higher owner satisfaction with original classical music. Those findings are not directly comparable and do not measure the same thing.
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A defensible verdict is therefore: both dogs and cats can respond to music, and the individual animal, sound characteristics and setting matter more than declaring one species the better music lover. Keep volume moderate, introduce sound gradually, stop when your pet shows distress and treat music as optional enrichment—not a guaranteed calming therapy.
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