Pet Acoustics: We're All Ears!

Welcome to We’re All Ears, the podcast about the science of sound, hearing, and animal behavior. I’m Janet Marlow, founder of Pet Acoustics and a Certified Sound Behaviorist.Today I want to talk about something I’ve observed for years:Cats can be much harder to read than dogs when we introduce sound into their environment.And that matters, because sometimes we assume that if we don’t see a response, nothing is happening.With a dog, relaxation can be wonderfully obvious.A dog may stop pacing. Lie down. Rest its head. Sigh. Fall asleep.Within 20 minutes, a pet parent may be able to say, “Something has changed.”Cats are different.A cat may respond to its auditory environment with a slower blink. A subtle change in ear position. Less vigilance. More grooming. A different sleeping location. Choosing to remain in a room longer. Or perhaps a reduction in nighttime vocalization that becomes apparent only after several days.These are meaningful behavioral changes, but they’re easy to miss if you don’t know what you’re looking for.When a cat walks away, what does it mean?Here’s another behavior that can be misunderstood.You turn on a new sound source, and your cat leaves the room.The immediate reaction may be: “My cat doesn't like it.”Not necessarily.

Back to School, Back to Work: Helping Pets Adjust to a Quieter HomeHello, and welcome to We’re All Ears, the podcast devoted to understanding how sound affects the health, behavior, and well-being of the animals we love.I’m Janet Marlow, founder of Pet Acoustics, composer, researcher, and Certified Sound Behaviorist.Today, we’re talking about a seasonal transition that can be surprisingly difficult for dogs and cats: the return to school and work.After a summer filled with activity, voices, visitors, children, open doors, and changing schedules, the house may suddenly become very quiet. We think of quiet as peaceful—but to a pet who has grown accustomed to companionship and household activity, that new silence can feel unfamiliar and unsettling.

Do Cats Experience Separation Anxiety?Hello, and welcome to We’re All Ears, the podcast where we explore how sound influences the health, behavior, and emotional well-being of the animals we love. I’m Janet Marlow, founder of Pet Acoustics and a Certified Sound Behaviorist.Today’s question is one many cat parents ask: Do cats experience separation anxiety?The answer is yes. Although cats are often described as independent, they can form very strong emotional bonds with their people—and some experience genuine distress when left alone or separated from someone they depend on.Because cats often express stress subtly, separation-related anxiety can easily be overlooked or mistaken for bad behavior.

How to Travel With Your Pet: Calmer Journeys With Pet Acoustics+ Hello, and welcome to We’re All Ears, the podcast devoted to helping you understand how sound affects your pet’s behavior, comfort and overall well-being.I’m Janet Marlow, founder of Pet Acoustics and a Certified Sound Behaviorist.Summer is a wonderful time for road trips, vacations and family visits. But for our pets, traveling can introduce an unfamiliar—and sometimes overwhelming—world of sounds. The car engine, road vibration, horns, traffic, airport announcements, hotel hallways and unfamiliar voices can all affect how safe and comfortable a dog or cat feels.Today, I’m going to share some simple ways to prepare your pet for travel and explain how species-specific sound therapy from the Pet Acoustics+ app can help create a familiar, calming sound environment wherever your journey takes you.

Welcome to We’re All Ears, the podcast where we explore how animals experience sound—and why hearing wellness matters throughout every stage of their lives.I’m Janet Marlow, founder of Pet Acoustics, researcher in animal psychoacoustics, and creator of species-specific sound therapy for dogs and cats. Today, I want to begin with a simple question:How well does your pet hear?Most of us have never been asked that question during a veterinary visit. We routinely monitor our pets’ weight, teeth, mobility, heart health, and vision—but hearing is often overlooked unless there is an obvious problem.By the time a family realizes that a pet is no longer responding to a name, a familiar sound, or someone entering the room, hearing changes may have been developing gradually for quite some time.That is why we created the Pet Acoustics+ digital hearing screening for dogs and cats.

Welcome to We’re All Ears, the podcast where we explore the science of sound, hearing, and animal well-being.I’m Janet Marlow, founder of Pet Acoustics and a lifelong researcher in how animals hear and how sound shapes their behavior, health, and relationship with us.Today, I want to begin with a question.What if the dog who suddenly seems stubborn is not ignoring you?What if the senior cat who cries at night is not simply becoming difficult?What if the pet who startles when touched, sleeps through familiar sounds, or no longer comes when called is not showing a behavior problem at all?What if the first change is happening in the ears?That question is at the heart of new research I published in the International Animal Health Journal. The study analyzed 10,615 completed behavioral hearing screenings of dogs and cats in 86 countries.And the findings point to something veterinary medicine and all of us who love animals can no longer afford to overlook.

Welcome to We're All Ears, the podcast where we explore hearing wellness, sensory health, and the remarkable ways sound influences the lives of animals.Today we're discussing a topic that affects thousands of dogs and their families: epilepsy.If you've ever witnessed a dog experiencing a seizure, you know how frightening it can be. While veterinary medicine provides important diagnostic and treatment options for epilepsy, pet parents are often left asking a different question:What can I do to help my dog feel safe and comfortable during recovery?At Pet Acoustics, we've worked with countless pet families over the years who have discovered that sound can play a meaningful role in creating a calming environment for dogs recovering from stressful events, including seizures.

Welcome to We're All Ears, where we explore the remarkable world of hearing wellness and the profound role sound plays in the lives of animals.Today's story begins with two dogs.One was thirteen years old. The other was seven. They had spent their lives together—eating together, walking together, sleeping near each other. The older dog was confident and independent. The younger dog followed his lead everywhere.To their pet parent, they seemed inseparable.Then one day, the older dog passed away.As the family grieved, something unexpected happened.The seven-year-old dog seemed lost. He wandered the house. He didn't come when called. He didn't respond when his name was spoken. At first, everyone assumed he was mourning the loss of his best friend.But as the days passed, something didn't add up.

Welcome to We’re All Ears—where we explore the world as animals experience it… through sound, behavior, and the subtle signals that shape their well-being.Today’s episode is a quiet one. A reflective one.Because this is about a kind of care that often goes unseen… but is deeply felt.To every woman who has sat on the floor with a sick animal at midnight…Not rushing. Not reacting. Just… present.Watching. Listening. Trying to understand what can’t be said.To the one who has driven to the veterinarian on a feeling— not because something was obvious… but because something was different.A shift. A hesitation. A change in how her animal responded to the world.She always knows first.Happy Mother's Day!

Welcome to We’re All Ears, where we explore the emotional and sensory lives of animals—and how they experience the world around them.Today we’re talking about separation anxiety. Not just from the pet’s perspective, but from the pet parent’s as well. Because separation is never one-sided.When a dog or cat is left alone, it isn’t simply “quiet time.” It’s a sudden shift in their entire sensory world. The familiar sounds disappear. The subtle rhythms of the home change. The presence of their person—arguably their strongest sense of safety—is gone all at once. What remains can feel unpredictable. For many animals, this triggers a stress response. You may see pacing, vocalizing, destructive behavior, or even withdrawal. These responses are often misunderstood as disobedience or lack of training, but they’re not. They are biological. Animals are wired to stay connected to their environment, and especially to the sensory cues that signal safety.