Читать книгу Animal Behavior for Shelter Veterinarians and Staff - Группа авторов - Страница 50

Cats are able to detect sounds between 45 and 64,000 Hz, including 10.5 octaves, which is one of the broadest hearing ranges of any mammalian species (Fay and Popper 1994). The high‐frequency, even ultrasonic sound perception is likely helpful for the detection of prey and possibly kitten communication, but the evolutionary function for detecting very low‐frequency sounds remains a mystery (Bradshaw et al. 2012). The pinnae, or external parts of the ear, are highly moveable, amplify sounds, and allow the cat to more easily pinpoint the location of the source. Additionally, the pinnae position can be used to visually communicate emotional information to a conspecific (Leyhausen 1979; Overall 2013).