Curling up with your beloved ball of fur while she purrs is fairly close to heaven, at least for cat-loving people. Yet, concealed amid those vibrations, that most seductive of home noises remains shrouded in mystery, and even a little enchantment.
Many of us are taught from a young age that when cats purr, it means they are content. While purring is assumed to be partly deliberate and partly innate, research reveals that cats can purr for a variety of reasons, including communication, self-soothing, and even healing. This is why cats will frequently purr after being harmed or experiencing a traumatic incident.
Cats frequently purr when humans pet them, resulting in a link between purring and enjoyment. Cat behavior implies that cats are also attempting to urge greater interaction, as if to say “please continue to stroke me.”
Why Do Cats Purr?
Kittens are born blind and deaf, and they stay that way until they are about two weeks old. They begin purring after only a few days, mostly to alert their mothers to their whereabouts and to seek their attention during feeding time. This behavior persists until maturity, and cat owners who are subjected to a forceful exhibition of purring at mealtime will be familiar with it. However, this is only one of various ways to employ the purr. This sort of purring has been dubbed the ‘solicitation purr’ by scientists.
The ‘solicitation purr’ is a combination between a meow and a purr, with a frequency similar to that of a wailing infant — a sound to which we are naturally wired to respond.
Danielle Venton, in her article “Why Do Cats Purr? It’s Not Just Because They’re Happy,” said that if it is a kind of communication, it is intended for individuals close to the cat, because cats purr at a frequency and loudness too low to go far. Purring, like many other low-frequency vocalizations in mammals, is generally connected with pleasant social situations like breastfeeding, grooming, resting, and being sociable.
While it is true that cats purr when they are really relaxed, animal scientists think that cats also purr when they are extremely stressed or in pain, such as when they go to the vet or dealing with something they are being bothered with.
Venton said purring is more likely to be simply comforting or self-soothing, as cats may purr in stressful conditions.
She also believes that if that is the case, purring would be similar to how humans relieve stress by weeping, laughing, amusing themselves, doing untimely chores or even displaying obsessive-compulsive actions. Although scholarly research on the issue is limited, veterinarians and cat aficionados have witnessed cats sleeping near one another and purring when one is wounded. This is referred to as “purr therapy” conduct.
Professor Leslie A. Lyons, Ph.D., a cat expert and the main investigator at the Feline Genetics Laboratory, which is part of the Department of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, said “cats also purr when they are stressed or severely injured; when they are recovering from an illness or injury; and while giving birth or even while they are dying.”
It appears that cats’ purrs, in addition to comforting those around them, allow cats to cure themselves.
How do cats purr?
Veterinarian Barbara Sherman, the director of the N.C. State Veterinary Health Complex, in her article, “Feline Purring, Explained,” said that purring is caused by a central nervous system signal. The vocal fold muscles in the cat’s larynx vibrate to create sound bursts when it inhales and exhales.
These sound bursts occur every 30 to 40 milliseconds (or around 25 times per second) and provide the distinctive purring sound. She further states that purr frequency is independent of cat age, size, weight, or sex, and is easily audible to a close person or cat.
This frequency is similar to the frequency used by scientists in vibrational therapy to stimulate tissue regeneration.
How exactly does vibrational therapy work?
In his article, “What Is Vibration Therapy?” Summer Fanous said that when vibrations are transferred to your body, they force your muscles to contract and relax. Certain forms of vibrations may also stimulate the production of osteoblasts in your body. These are the cells that make bone.
The direction and strength of vibrations may influence how effective vibration treatment is.
Vibrational treatment achieves the same level of healing and reinforcement by utilizing low frequency vibrations rather than strong high impact activities. So, in theory, a cat’s purr can aid in healing.
The benefits humans get from cats’ purrs
Cat purring reduces tension – caressing a purring cat has a relaxing effect. According to Professor Lyons, it reduces the symptoms of dyspnoea (breathing problems) in both cats and people. She said it also lowers blood pressure and lowers the risk of heart disease, and cat owners are 40% less likely to have a heart attack.
She added that cat purrs are said to assist with infections, swelling, and discomfort, muscle development and repair, tendon repair, and joint mobility.
So, it appears that a cat’s purr is truly amazing. Cats are capable of healing themselves as well as comforting and mending those around them. An enchanting animal making a magical sound!
About the Author: Mariana Burgos is a freelance artist. She has been a solo parent for 16 years now because she is wife to a desaparecido. She and her daughter are animal lovers and are active in advocating not only human rights but the rights of animals as well.