Music not only soothes the savage beast — it strikes the right chord in our cat companions too. Cat-centric music, that is.

Music written with a particular species in mind appears to touch an animal’s happy place. Such music incorporates an animal’s range of hearing, as well as comforting sounds and frequent types of vocalization. For cats, that means purring, sounds mimicking meows and tones generally an octave above a person’s voice. Even certain tempos, like the rhythm of kittens nursing, can be pleasurable. Cats have actually been seen rubbing against speakers that are emitting feline-focused tunes.

But these are more than just “gee-whiz” findings. Perhaps such music could relieve anxious shelter cats, hungry for the comforts of companionship. More than music to the ears, you might say that it’s music for the heart.