The mystery of cat’s purring

Cats have been companions of people for many years now, according to the latest archaeological findings, even for more than 11 thousand years. Today, together with dogs, they are the most popular pets. Maybe because of their independence and grandeur, maybe for the mystique that surrounds them. For a long time, it has been speculated about the fact that they are capable of healing, or that they are capable to detect an illness. However, now we might be getting a bit closer to the uncovering of this mystery.

According to superstitions, black cats drain most negative energy from us, ginger ones, on the other hand, pass down positive energy, creamy ones are able to energize us when we’re tired and grey-and-blue cats are supposed to calm us down. It is said, that cats know when we are in pain and they lay down on that spot and start purring. If it is a serious illness, they can be lying like this even for hours. But you can judge for yourselves. My cat is not as sensitive, but once I was sleeping over at a friend, who lives with three cats. At that time, I worried a lot, and they probably noticed since two of them immediately laid down on me and purred the whole night through on my chest.

Cats have various reasons for purring and they purr in more ways. But mainly, it is a regeneration process of their body. Purring can mean that the cat is content. Mothers purr to their kittens to calm them down, kittens use purring to ask for attention and to invite others to play. However, cats also purr when they’re in pain or in a stressful situation, to calm themselves down. During such purring, endorphins are released into the body, which help them to cope with the pain.

Recent studies have shown, that the frequency and vibration of cat’s purring (from 20 to 140 Hz) has significant healing effects on the human body. Cat purring lowers the stress level, alleviates symptoms of respiratory conditions (both cat and human ones), listening to purring lowers blood pressure and slows down the heart rate. Some of the purring frequencies even improve bone density and support healing of wounds. According to a study, cat owners also have a 40% lower risk of a heart attack and according to the statistics, they go to the doctor 5 times less than those, who don’t have a cat. Purring vibrations help with the healing of infections and swellings. The vibrations heal muscles, tendons and ligament injuries. They also help with the healing of soft tissues. A purring cat also improves digestion and helps with the healing some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Scientists from a gerontology institute even claim, that cat owners live on average ten years more and that a markedly lower level of cholesterol was measured in them.

According to experts on bioenergetics, a cat is capable of sensing, what the owner has an issue with. If the cat often lays itself down on the head of the owner, it either means that they have problems with high blood pressure, or that they suffer from headaches. Laying down on the left shoulder or shoulder blade means issues with the heart. If it lays down on your back, it senses issues with the kidneys. A cat lays down on your legs in case you have low blood pressure or you often get chilled.

Many people don’t like cats. Many times have I encountered that opinion that a cat is too independent and that it never creates such a relationship with a human as a dog does. But it seems to me, that it is the other way around, and a cat is slightly more equal companion than a dog. And even if this bond between a cat and a human is different than with a dog, it doesn’t mean that it is weaker. What do you think?