A cat's purr has long been the subject of speculation. Most cat aficionados seem to believe that cats purr when they are happy or content. However, some biologists have weighed in with other theories.
According to Leslie A. Lyons, an assistant professor at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis, scientists have demonstrated that cats produce the purr through intermittent signaling of the laryngeal and diaphragmatic muscles. Investigators have shown that sound frequencies in the same range as a cat's purr can improve bone density and promote healing.
Kittens Cats
This gives legs to the old legend that if you put a cat in a room full of broken bones, they'll heal the bones. The purring is therapeutic and encourages healing.
Cat owners as a group tend to have lower blood pressure. It's certainly no coincidence that many convalescent homes and assisted living facilities keep cats as mascots and companions for their patients.
Cats also seem to use their purr as a sort of self-hypnosis. When scared, injured, or very near death, a cat will purr to calm itself. Many times they also purr themselves to sleep.
Mother cats calm their newborn kittens with their purr. Before the kitten can even see or hear, they can feel the vibration of mama's purr through their body and find their way to nurse.
The how and why of purring is far from settled. Most of us like to believe, however, when our cat is curled up on our lap, it is their contentment and happiness with the environment that we have created for them that is driving that purr.
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