Does the little flap of skin on the bottom/back of a cats ear have any purpose?

*Pondering* The folds of the outer ear--the pinna--seem gratuitous, a waste of cartilage and skin. But they are, some Dutch researchers have found, crucial to our ability to pinpoint the vertical location of sounds--whether they come from above us, below, in front, or behind.

When a sound wave enters the outer ear, it bounces around the pinna's ridges. Some frequencies are enhanced, others diminished, with the pattern of those changes determined by the particular shape of the pinna. Since everyone's pinnae are different, so is the acoustic stamp placed on sound entering the brain.

One would have to believe it is the same for felines...

From all the cat books ive read, nobody really knows what it's for. Ive heard the theory that it is used kind of like a sattlelight to collect sound waves. Or it could just be left over from earlier evolutions(kinda like the spleen in the human body-no real use)

Yes, it does have a purpose. It enhances their hearing. It helps to magnify sound waves toward the eardrum.

GREAT QUESTION!

Unfortunately, I have no clue. I'm putting this on my watch list, though, because I am really interested if anyone knows...

I know exactly what your talking about....don't think it has any purpose but can't be sure.

I asked that Q to my dad and he says that it is used for balece.

tick motel lol