cats purr for business or pleasure?

motif

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I've read articles stating that cats purr at some frequency which promotes healing their tendons and joints. I wonder if that's true because my cats never purr just for purring but only when they feel good. According to some sources cats will purr when they are injured and in pain as well as when they are content. Any proof for that?

Veterinarians have long noted that broken bones heal quickly in cats. The vibrations associated with the feline purring is of interest to the holistic healing community. The measurable Hertz of a cat's purr lies between 25 and 150. 20 to 50 HZ have shown great promise in speeding bone injuries in human medicine. Research is currently being done to find out if purring actually accelerates the natural healing process of broken bones in humans.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...y-do-cats-purr
 

han_bee

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I always thought that cats purred when you stroke them because they feel the same feeling they felt when they were groomed by their mothers as kittens, and of course they liked that feeling. So therefore it brings them back the happy memories of being with their mum.

Not sure about the pain thing, because i've never experienced that with my cats. My kittens seem to purr any time they are touched or whenever they are on someones lap, regardless of whether or not they are being stroked.
I guess we will never know
 

otto

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Cats do purr when in pain. Usually the purr has a different tone. Deeper, more intense. I always encourage a cat to purr when he or she is sick, to help healing and to comfort.

Since purring causes vibration it may help with blood flow, circulation, too.
 

strange_wings

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The simplest answer is that cats purr when they want to. And no one really knows a cat's mind.

Whenever I take Blann to the vet he'll start purring - he's not happy or in pain, nor is he completely stressed/frightened (because he will hiss, growl, and try to bite if he feels too threatened). But whenever the vet tries to listen to his lungs inevitably Blann starts purring, which doesn't make listening to his lungs any easier.
 

missm

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

The simplest answer is that cats purr when they want to.


Sometimes my cats won't purr even if I cuddle them, sometimes I can just give a quick pat on the head and they will start rumbling...I have often thought that it would be fun to know just what it is like to purr
 

biscuity

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A cat's purr is something like a human smile. The purr is a signal which means that the cat is friendly & will not harm you.
 

cosabella

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My cat purrs every time his teeth is brushed. He hates having his teeth brushed, so I know he's not happy (or in pain). In addition to expressing contentment, it could be a coping mechanism during time of stress. Perhaps it alleviates some of the tension the cat is feeling.
 

otto

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Originally Posted by Cosabella

My cat purrs every time his teeth is brushed. He hates having his teeth brushed, so I know he's not happy (or in pain). In addition to expressing contentment, it could be a coping mechanism during time of stress. Perhaps it alleviates some of the tension the cat is feeling.


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