We Are All Lefties When It Comes To Language
In humans, the left hemisphere of the brain tackles most verbal processing the what we say part. Speech using exaggerated, positive vocal inflection the how we say it part is processed in the right hemisphere.
The dogs in the study demonstrated that they listen the same way an ability that was once believed to be unique to humans. When unfamiliar language was presented to them, their focus shifted from linguistic content to emotional content.
If youve ever traveled to a country and been unfamiliar with the language, you know how this works. When youre listening to language you dont know, you shift your focus to nonverbal cues like intonation and inflection to try to figure out clues about what you are hearing. Turns out our pups do the same thing when they hear unfamiliar speech.
Are Cats Smarter Than Dogs
The ultimate answer to this is complex, as it is difficult to compare the intelligence of the two animals.
Brian Hare, the founder and director of Duke University‘s Canine Cognition Center, put it like this in an interview with PBS: “Asking which species is smarter is like asking if a hammer is a better tool than a screwdriver.
“Each tool is designed for a specific problem, so of course it depends on the problem we are trying to solve.”
However, various studies have concluded that, overall, cats are not smarter than dogs.
One study often cited is that of neurologist Suzana Herculano-Houzel, who has spent nearly 15 years analyzing cognitive function in humans and animals. One such experiment she performed involved counting the neurons in the cortexes of a cat, golden retriever and a mixed-breed small dog.
The cerebral cortex of the brain is involved in many higher level processes, including thought, association and memory.
The cortexes of dead animals were liquified in order to measure the number of suspended nuclei from neuron cells. This meant researchers could estimate the number of neurons present.
An estimate of the number of neurons in the average huuman cortex is 16 billion, according to Herculano-Houzel’s findings. Her research found the dogs had 429 million and 623 million neurons for the mixed breed and golden retriever respectively, while the cat had 250 million neurons in their cerebral cortexes.
The Edge Of Humans Vision
The human eye is an important organ of the human body, allowing us to interpret the things we see as objects, shapes, and colors. Our vision allows us to see in both dim light and bright light and is used in almost all the activities that we do. It is an essential tool for learning things around us, such as language, computers, health and active developmental activities.
If you look at the anatomy of the human eyes and that of the cats and dogs, you will find a different structure. Today, along with paying attention to the health of our bodies, we also need to give our eyes extra care to maintain good health. As we age, vision can start to fade. It is therefore recommended to eat healthy foods that are rich in vitamins C, E, zinc, and lutein, as the eyes require proper nutrition just like any other part of the body. Exercise is also one of the keys to improving the health of the eyes and to prevent the possible risk of eye impairments like cataracts. We also recommend annual eye exams from your ophthalmologist, as with many medical problems, prevention of a disease is often more effective than curing it.
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Why Do Dogs Have Better Hearing Than Humans
- The hearing range of dogs is almost double that. The dog whistle, which sounds silent to humans, produces sounds in the 50-kilohertz range that dogs can hear. Dogs have better hearing than humans both because they can hear these high-frequency sounds, and they can hear sounds from farther away. This is because of the way their ears are designed.
How Do Dogs And Cats Use Their Ears
Dogs and cats have a much better ability to hear different sound frequencies and move their ears than we do. Why? Dogs control their ears using up to 18 muscles while cats use up to 30 muscles. These additional muscles allow dogs and cats to better position their ears to localize a sound, hear it more accurately and from a distance.
The shape of some breeds ears allows them to amplify the sound. They use their exceptional ability to hear as a protective measure as well as alerting them to food sources. Dogs can be trained using a clicking device that they can hear and allows precise training. Cats’ highly sensitive hearing explains how they can hear you open the cabinet where you keep their food even if theyre sound asleep upstairs on the other side of the house.
Pets also use their ears to convey how theyre feeling such as happiness, fear, anger/aggression, submission, and more.
Learn how to safely clean your dog’s ears and prevent infection by clicking on the following link:
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Cat Ears Can Tell You How Cats Are Feeling
Most cat parents can tell something is up with their cat based on the position of their ears. Because of the intricate system of 32 muscles in your cat’s ears, they can swivel them like a giant satellite dish to signal different moods.
A cat with ears flat against their head coupled with a tense stance tells us that they’re uncomfortable and scared.
Erect, twitching ears can signal that your cat is either annoyed by something you’re doing or trying to figure out where a certain sound is coming from.
Pay attention to what your cat’s ears are trying to tell you.
Why Dogs And Cats Hear Better Than Humans
Have you ever wondered why dogs ears prick up and seem to hear something even when you hear nothing? Or, why dogs start barking at the door minutes before the doorbell rings?
Dogs have much more sensitive hearing than humans, hearing sounds four times farther away than we can. They can hear higher frequency sounds, can more easily differentiate sounds and they can pinpoint the exact location of the sound.
Sound is caused by air vibrations. The more vibrations per second, the higher the sound and the higher the frequency. For example, a double bass makes low-frequency booming sounds while a tin whistle makes high-frequency piercing sounds. Humans cannot hear sounds that vibrate at greater than 20,000 vibrations per second . Our hearing decreases with age, so babies can hear higher frequencies than their parents, but still not as well as dogs.
Dogs can hear sounds of up to 50,000 vibrations per second . A dog whistle usually creates a sound at greater than 20,000 Hz which explains why dogs respond to a dog whistle while it appears silent to us.
While we cant promise to make our clients hearing as good as a dog or cat, we do go above and beyond to help our clients hear better. Hearing Sense is independently owned which means we offer FREE trials on ALL brands of hearing aids, including the Lyric. We aim to improve our clients hearing, and also their quality of life.
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Cat Ears Have A Versatile Range Of Motion
Human ears are pretty much stuck in the position they’re in. Cat ears, on the other hand, have 32 muscles in them to help them twitch, rotate, and have a greater sense of hearing.
A cat’s ears can rotate up to 180 degrees, which makes them perfect tools to help track down small, scurrying prey from nearly any direction.
Do Cats Hear Better Than Dogs
07/19/2016
Dogs versus cats: its the age-old quandary. While neither species of animal is better than the other contrary to what many would debate they each hold unique qualities that set them apart. Dogs retain a superior sense of smell cats can fall from great heights and walk away unscathed.
But which animal has the better auditory system? The answer may surprise you.
The feline sense of hearing is considerably more sensitive than dogs and humans . A healthy cats hearing ability is a true biological marvel. According to an article published on Animal Planets website, a cats ears are like a sophisticated satellite dish turning to pick up a signal. The article goes on to explain that the cats external ear flap, or pinna, rotates up to 180 degrees to locate and identify even the faintest of squeaks, peeps or rustling noises.
In humans, the ear canal is extremely short and measures just 2.5 centimeters in length. However, both canines and felines possess a long ear canal that makes almost a 90-degree bend as it travels to the deeper parts of the ear, explains Washington State Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine.
A felines ears are an extreme asset but, despite their abilities, remain a very fragile piece of anatomy. The delicate nature of a cats ear canal makes it an ideal environment for one of the most common ear troubles in pets: otitis externa.
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Living With A Deaf Cat
Deaf cats make wonderful, loving companions! You can also train them using hand signals rather than voice commands. For instance, you can teach them that a downward motion with your hand means they need to get off the countertop. Use positive reinforcements such as praise and treats when they follow your hand signals and be patient. Training a cat takes time and effort.
The Outer Ear Of Cats And Dogs
The outer ear includes the pinna or ear flap, and the ear canal. The shape of the pinna allows the ear to capture sound waves and send them through the ear canal to the eardrum.
A fun ear fact in dogs and cats is that they can wiggle or move their ears separately from each other. The sizes and shapes of the dog pinnae vary by breed and range from small to large and standing upright as well as flopping over. Cats’ pinnae usually stand up naturally however, a few breeds have ears that fold over such as Scottish Folds, American Curl, Highlander Cat, and Ukrainian Levkoy.
The ear canal of the dog is shaped like the letter L and is made up of the vertical and horizontal ear canal. Dogs and cats’ ear canals are much deeper than ours, allowing them to hear about 4 times better than people, including higher frequency sounds humans cannot hear. Interestingly, cats range of hearing includes frequencies above and below what people can hear. Not only can cats hear better than people but , cats hear better than most dogs.
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How Well Does Your Cat Hear Compared To Other Animals
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Just how well does your cat hear compared to youand compared to other animals?
After viewing this infographic, I wasnt surprised to see how much better cats hear than we dobut it was interesting to see how their hearing compares to dogs, mice, rabbits, and other animals.
I know that our cats are very aware of just where we are in the house at all times, listening to our steps. Ive seen them race to the window when they hear a rustle in the trees that I never heard.
But since our cats never go outdoors , Ive never been able to really compare our dogs and our cats hearing as far as picking up on distant sounds. I know that our dog Irie, a hound mix, can hear cars long before I hear them approaching. Its interesting to see from this infographic just how much more powerful a cats sense of hearing is compared to a dogsor even a rabbits! We often walk up on rabbits who, in spite of those big ears, rank pretty far beneath the cat.
Your Cats World: How Your Feline Uses His Senses
Cats have amazing senses, from sight, to smell, to hearing. Learn how your pet cat uses his senses to his advantage.
Your cats senses are very keen, and are designed to help your feline friend operate smoothly in his environment. From high-powered ears to a sensitive nose, your cat can sense things in ways that humans can only dream about. Heres how your cat uses his senses to his advantage:
SightAnyone who has seen their pet cats round eyes gleaming in the darkness has probably assumed that cats can see very well in low-light situations. This is absolutely correct. Cats can use their eyes to see very well at night, much better than humans can in dark situations. This is because cats have special layers in their eyes that reflect light, allowing them to use it more efficiently than other animals. A cats eyesight during the day and in high-light situations, however, is actually worse than a humans.
Aside from this, a cat’s eyesight has many other features differentiating it from humans. Since cats are predators, they have very good depth perception, as well as vision that focuses mainly on movement. Another feature that helps them hunt is that their eyes do not need to be lubricated by blinking. This helps them keep a steady focus on their prey.
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Other Solutions And Considerations
When it comes to listening, cats are not quite on the same page. Cats will follow you down the driveway or out into the garden. Cats will climb in your laps and are delighted to see you but somehow do not seem to do what you tell them to do. Having a cat and a dog in your home is a lovely combination of pets. It would be the exception to the rule to say that the cat is a better listener than the dog, although it hears very well. Cats are agile, and cats are clever, but not the best listeners. Dogs have intelligence and dogs like to please people, so they perform better as obedient listeners. Cats have an independent air about them and they like to come and go as they please. Dogs, on the other hand, are loyal and generally eager to serve.
Physical Examination Of The Ear
Your veterinarian will examine your cats ears at every routine checkup. If the cat has a history of previous ear infections or other problems with the ear, you should provide that information to the veterinarian.
To start, your veterinarian will visually inspect the outer ears, noting any signs of inflammation, injury from trauma, swelling, secretions, or excessive ear wax. He or she will then use an instrument called an otoscope to view the ear canal and eardrum. A video-otoscope is often very helpful when inspecting the ear canals. It may be necessary to use sedation or general anesthesia to examine some cats if the ear is painful or the cat is difficult to restrain. If an infection is suspected, tests will be performed on samples of fluid or secretions from the ear to determine the organisms involved and the proper treatment. Infections in cats ears are most commonly caused by bacteria or yeasts.
To diagnose a tumor of the ear, it may be necessary to do a biopsy to obtain tissue for evaluation. Further tests, including x-rays, computed tomography , magnetic resonance imaging , neurologic tests, and electronic tests may be needed to confirm certain conditions, such as deafness.
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The Frequency Range Of Dogs Is Superior To Humans
Dogs can attribute their ability to hear sounds at high frequency to their evolutionary past. Wild dogs, wolves, and foxes prey on small rodents that make high-pitched sounds as they move. The ability to hear these sounds give dogs an advantage when hunting their prey.
Humans can hear between 20 and 20,000 Hz which seems like a lot. Dogs, however can hear a frequency range of 40 to 60,000 Hz. The smaller the number the lower the sound and their higher the number the higher the pitch. As an example, a dog whistle emits a sound above 20,000 Hz which means people can’t hear it but dogs can.
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CEENTA’s ENT doctors and audiologists may not treat animal ears, but they will work hard to help every human who visits us to hear as best as they can.
This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your doctor. To make an appointment with a CEENTA ENT doctor or audiologist, call 704-295-3000. You can also schedulean appointment online or through myCEENTAchart.
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What Do Dogs Hear When We Talk
Dogs hear nearly twice as many frequencies as humans. Your dog might not understand everything you say, but he listens and pays attention similar to the way humans do. The researchers discovered that dogs like humans respond not only to the words we say to them, but also to the emotional tone of our voices.
Are Cats Smarter Than Dogs Scientists Answer Age
Cats and dogs have historically been at odds, leading to pet owners categorizing themselves as either dog or cat people. Each side argues that their favorite pet is the smartest, trying to outdo the other.
Scientists have also tangled with this issue, applying their expertise to see whether one of these animals truly triumphs over its rival.
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Cat Ears Help Control Your Cat’s Balance
Have you ever had an ear infection and felt a little off-balance? That’s because you have fluid in your ears that helps support your balance.
Your cat’s inner ear contains the vestibular system, which is a system full of fluids to help your kitty keep their balance.
You know how cats can almost always right themselves to land on their feet? Your kitty can thank their intricate ears for that.