The first course I took in my graduate school psychology minor was "psychophysics". I had just read that humans can hear vibrations between 20 and 20,000. We were using devices that could give us whatever we wanted. I tried those two numbers and couldn't hear a thing at either pitch. Now I am about 60 years older and I wear hearing aids so I am even less of a model of high-level human hearing.
I am still impressed by what my neighbor, across the street (!), told me about her dogs hearing. Those dogs are interested in anything that moves and they have learned that they can see some actions if they look out the front window when they hear my garage door opening. They can hear my garage door opening and closing!
Not long ago, I learned that Ed Yong, a prize-winning writer, has a book called "An Immense World" about animal senses. I have just read a little bit but the book already emphasizes that the old idea of what we can perceive one way or another more or less limits what we can study, learn, know. Many animals have sight, hearing, scent, balance and heat detection abilities far more elaborate that what humans experience. Plus, old humans may be even more limited by aging, wear & tear and disease.
The two of us have both been charmed by the several episodes of "The Hidden Lives of Pets" on Netflix. I recommend the show.
