Can some animals appreciate music?

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Outside of us humans obviously.

I think at least some apes and monkeys can and do...

But what about more different species?

Have there been any studies about cat's and dog's perception and reaction to music?

Birds?

Cows?

Some animals have a very sound centered perception of their surroundings.
Like whales.
I could imagine some of them emulating a tune adjusted for their sound perception range...

 

[gturner]

My question is their taste in music.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uguXNL93fWg[/yt]

 

[Rarewolf]

I've certainly read of experiments regarding farmyard animals with different types of music to see if it influenced them.

Plants as well

 

[R. Star]

Woah, that parrot is awesome!

 

[Pondwater]

I wonder about the study on dogs too.
Because I think my dog hates rap, hip hop...he tries to put his paws over his ears, burrows himself under something or just whines and wimpers when any of that nonsense is playing.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Your dog has excellent taste.

 

[Gary7]

Some cats feel compelled to make a little music of their own.
No doubt you've all heard about Nora...

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ860P4iTaM[/yt]

 

[Amaris]

Dallie (my dearly departed black lab mix) used to love movie soundtracks. Her favorites were "Finding Nemo," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," and "Star Trek: First Contact."

She would sit and listen to them with me, and there would be times where certain musical cues would cause her tail to wag, and she would close her eyes and wag her tail, I kid you not. It was fun to watch.

 

[gturner]

"Let the bodies hit the floor" (which the parrot was singing) was actually written by Drowning Pool's lead singer's black lab. The pooch's original lyrics were something like:

Tip the trash can on the floor.
Tip the trash can on the floor.
Tip the trash can on the floor.
Tip the trash can on the flooooor.
Eatin' dry food (dry food)
Can't eat much more
Here we go!
Here we go!
Here we go!
One - Now I've got to pee
Two - Now I've got to pee
Three - Now I've got to pee
Four - Now I've got to pee

One - Master's got a treat
Two - Master's got a treat
Three - Treat he's got to give
Now
Get the mailman at the door
Get the mailman at the door
Get the mailman at the dooooor
Get the mailman at the door
Get the mailman at the door
Get the mailman at the dooooor
Now!
Pet me again
Pet end to end
Here we go!
Here we go!
Here we go!
One - Throw the ball to me
Two - Throw the ball to me
Three - Throw the ball to me
Four - Throw the ball to me
One - Ball I will not give
Two - Ball I will not give
Three - Ball I will not give
Now
Get the squirrels on the lawn
Get the squirrels on the lawn
Get the squirrels on the laaaawn
Get the squirrels on the lawn
Get the squirrels on the lawn
Get the squirrels on the laaaawn

 

[Melakon]

I had a parakeet that seemed to enjoy some types of music. I'd have an album playing, and on some tracks, he'd do a low warbling along with it for a few minutes, then break into imitations of sparrows and other bird calls he'd learned.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Cool stories.

Love the piano cat!

I may try and experiment a little with my cats.

I would really love, if I could enhance their lifestyle a bit if I find music that demostrably provides them happiness.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

As bands like Gwar and Cannibal Corpse prove, animals can play music as well as listen to it...

 

[Timewalker]

Woah, that parrot is awesome!

Sure made my cats wake up and notice!

Many years ago, I had a cat who loved Strauss. She would come into my room when I played it (on a record player) and lie on the floor and listen to it. When I changed the record to something else, she got up and left.

My current cats have no appreciation of music. Every time I sing or even whistle, they both give me dirty looks that plainly tell me to "shut up, already."