So when it comes to cats, it’s mostly us, the cat parents, who seek their attention and want their loving response to all the petting.
It’s incredibly satisfying to get our pets to show us love and affection by communicating with us in their ways. For most people, it’s their cat purring. We always consider the sweet rasp of their purr a heavenly sound, as we associate it with them being content and pleased.
Purring is one of the most satisfying sounds that animals make, but there’s a mystery behind it. If you think contentment is the only reason cats purr, you are wrong. Although we’re not exactly sure why cats purr, there certainly are some good guesses and reasons that we’d love to share with you.
Of course, there are exceptions to every scenario, and many cats love to cuddle or enjoy their parents’ never-ending attention, but we need not tell you that it’s a bit rare. Many cats would show their joyous emotions by purring rather than cuddling.
Cats Purr for many Reasons:
Communication: Cats purr to communicate with people and other cats. For example, they might purr to
- Greet you when you come home
- Ask for food or attention
- Let you know they don’t want you to stop petting them
- Signal non-aggression to other cats
- Bonding: Kittens purr to bond with their mothers, letting them know where they are, that they’re okay, and when it’s feeding time
- Contentment: Cats purr when they’re happy and relaxed
- Stimulation: Cats purr when they’re stimulated, like when you’re stroking or playing with them
- Stress: Cats purr when they’re stressed, like when there’s lots of noise and activity around them
- Pain: Cats purr when they’re in pain
- Self-soothing: Cats purr to soothe themselves and help them heal
Healing, also known as the Purr Therapy
Purring is sometimes voluntary, but other times it’s instinctive. Cats make a soft rumbling purr to soothe themselves when they are stressed or injured, similar to the way humans relieve themselves by crying when hurt or stressed.
The purr therapy is known to have bone healing and tissue regeneration properties as it is produced at a frequency of 26 hertz, which is the range of vibration that promotes healing. Bones make themselves stronger when they undergo some level of pressure or exercise, and vibrations of the purr work on a similar basis.
Cats purr as a form of bone stimulation when simply lying around, doing nothing, or waiting to hunt to prevent their bones from becoming weak.
