Ultrasonic Hearing in Cats and Other Terrestrial Mammals

What is the first thought that comes to your mind when you read the word “ultrasound”? Most readers of Acoustics Today might associate ultrasound with pregnancy or perhaps specialized detection technology on ships and airplanes. Some might also think about echolocating animals. But what about terrestrial mammals? The ones that walk the earth among us? Although the use of ultrasound in echolocating mammals (e.g., bats, dolphins, and whales) is well-known, our understanding of ultrasonic perception in nonflying terrestrial mammals is limited. Here we discuss the frequencies perceived and the biological importance of ultrasound for four land-dwelling mammals as well as what is currently known about the various areas in the brain that allow these animals to process ultrasound.