Some cattle are more sensitive to sudden movement or intermittent sound than other cattle, as was indicated through casual observations. A total of 1636 cattle, mostly Bos taurus or Holstein dairy cattle, were observed at commercial livestock operations to assess the relationship between breed, sex, and temperament score on the response to sudden, intermittent visual and sound stimuli. Examples of such stimuli included the ringman swinging his arm for a bid and the sound of the ringman briefly yelling a bid. The animals were scored while in the ring according to a 4-point temperament score. Scores included were 1) walks and/or stands still, with slow, smooth body movements; 2) continuously walks or trots, and vigilant; 3) gait is faster than a trot (runs even a couple of steps) with fast, abrupt, jerky movements, and very vigilant; and 4) hits the ring fence, walls, partitions, or people with its head. Flinches, startle responses, and orientation toward sudden, intermittent sounds, motions, and tactile stimulation, such as being touched with a cane or plastic paddle were observed. Holsteins were more sound- and touch-sensitive than beef cattle. As temperament (excitability) score increased, so did sensitivity to sudden, intermittent stimuli such as sound, motion, and touch. Those cattle least sensitive to sudden, intermittent movement and sound had a temperament score of 1 while those cattle most sensitive to the same stimuli had a score of 4. Observations for touch were not statistically significant even though a similar relationship was occasionally observed. Motion-sensitive cattle were more likely to score a temperament rating of 3 or 4 than non-sensitive cattle. Steers and heifers were more motion-sensitive than older bulls or cows. Dairy cattle urinated and defecated less frequently once in the auction ring than beef cattle. The cattle that became agitated during handling in the auction ring were the cattle most likely to be startled by sudden, intermittent sounds and movements. Conclusions stated that reactivity to sudden, intermittent stimuli may be an indicator of an excitable temperament.