Few things are as enjoyable to cat owners as the sound of their cat purring on their lap. Purring is one of the most unique cat behaviors that’s not well understood, but always appreciated. But did you know that your cat’s purr could also be beneficial to your health?
While more research is needed to understand and confirm many of these benefits, the information we already have supports the fact that owning a purring cat is good for your health. Here are seven health benefits of a cat’s purr, all backed by science.
The 7 Health Benefits of a Cat’s Purr
A Note From Our Veterinarian
Please note that many of these benefits are anecdotal or based on the perception of cat owners. Not all of them are proven. These perceived benefits are not a substitute for the opinion of a human medical professional.
1. Decreases Stress
A study from 2009¹ found that owning a cat was associated with reduced stress in day-to-day life. Another survey study found that many owners agreed that their cat’s purr helped them by eliciting a calming effect².
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2. Lowers Blood Pressure
The calming effect cited in the survey study would possibly also help some people better manage their blood pressure. However, this is mostly a theory, and there aren’t specific studies that examine the effect of a cat’s purr on one’s blood pressure.
3. Decreases the Risk of Heart Attack
Another hypothetically perceived benefit cats may offer their owners is by reducing the risk of a heart attack. As mentioned in the previously cited study, feline ownership has been associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular health issues.
Though there isn’t proof of a purr specifically offering this benefit, it might be plausible that people who enjoy their cat’s companionship, because they purr, might benefit in the long run.
4. May Promote Bone Healing
Studies have shown that a cat’s purring frequencies can help bones recover faster after injury. The science behind this theory relates to the use of sound and vibrations for treating various human injuries and health conditions. Sound vibrations at 25 and 50 Hertz (Hz) are ideal for bone growth and healing breaks. A study2 found that cats produce strong purr vibrations at exactly those frequencies.
A study³ found that cats produce strong purr vibrations at exactly those frequencies. However, nobody truly knows “how much” purring you’d need to be exposed to in order to recover from a bone injury. Furthermore, some bone ailments (such as cancer) wouldn’t be healed by purring at all. Therefore, it is important to consider this benefit in context.
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5. May Improve Breathing
The same purr study also found that cats can produce purrs at frequencies that are beneficial for dyspnea (difficulty breathing). However, this is a form of self-healing that cats use. Whether or not this can be passed on to humans isn’t established in medicine.
6. May Decrease Pain and Swelling
The self-healing mechanism of a cat’s purr also helps them manage pain and swelling. Some people have hypothesized that they might be able to transfer these benefits to humans. This is, however, purely anecdotal from a scientific point of view.
7. May Promote Wound Healing
The train of thought that postulates that a cat’s self-healing mechanisms may help humans doesn’t just stop at bone healing, breathing, and pain management. Anecdotal claims exist that because cats purr at times when wounded, they’re doing so to promote healing. The same theory stretches to claim that this benefit can be passed on to humans.
However, it’s important to reiterate that these are theories, and those who claim to benefit from purrs in this way might be experiencing a placebo effect.
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How Do Cats Purr?
So, how is a cat able to produce the soothing, stress-reducing sound of a purr in the first place?
A cat’s purr is regulated subconsciously by their brains. A specific part of the cat’s brain sends a rhythmic, repeating signal to the muscles around the cat’s larynx, or voice box.
In response to those signals, the muscles twitch to produce around 25–150 vibrations per second. The frequency at which an individual cat purrs remains the same throughout their life. This is why some cats seemingly purr so loudly all the time. The factors that determine the precise frequency at which a cat purrs are not known.
Why Do Cats Purr?
Of course, we know cats don’t purr simply because it’s beneficial to their owners’ health. In fact, as we’ve established, virtually all of the benefits of a cat’s purr to human health are anecdotal perceptions we hold.
Cats purr for themselves; many wild cat species that never interact with humans are also observed purring.
Listening to a cat purr is almost certain to bring a smile to the face of even the most confirmed “dog person.” Science also suggests that the cat’s purr brings healing and health to cats specifically. Therefore, it’s considered a form of self-healing for cats.
The extent to which a purr may benefit a human is still not fully established in science as of yet. Indeed, most of the “benefits” a cat may offer their human companions are either anecdotal, theoretical, or likely a placebo effect. However, most owners do enjoy it when they hear their cats purr.
