Mary Allen
Cat purring has healing properties. Not only in the cat itself heal some diseases faster, but even in humans! Read here which diseases cats can prevent or cure.
Cats not only purr when they are happy, but also when they are stressed or sick. Because purring is used by cats for health management: They try to calm themselves with it. In addition, cat purring has a healing effect and can help certain diseases in cats and humans to heal faster.
Purring Will Heal Broken Bones Faster
When a cat purrs, it vibrates throughout its body. This stimulates the cat’s muscles. This in turn stimulates bone growth. According to studies, at a purring frequency of 25-44 Hz, bone density increases, and bone healing is accelerated – even in humans on whom the purring cat is lying. For example, it has been possible to help osteoporosis patients by increasing their bone density and promoting bone formation with vibrating cushions that imitate the purring of a cat.
Several doctors in Graz tested the effects of a cat purring and, over a number of years, developed a kind of vibrating “cat purr cushion” that imitates the purring of cats. They put the pillow on the body parts of their patients that hurt – and achieved success! The pillow even healed swelling and eased the pain.
Purring Against Muscle and Joint Problems
The cat’s purr not only has a positive effect on the bones. The vibrations also help with muscle and joint problems as well as arthrosis. This applies to joints of all kinds: from the wrist to the ankle. The purring of a cat can also support healing in the case of problems with the spine and intervertebral discs. Researchers found this out by mimicking the purr frequency of cats.
Purring Helps With Lung And Respiratory Diseases
The Graz specialist for internal medicine and cardiology Günter Stefan also tested the use of cat purr cushions in people with the lung disease COPD or asthma. For two weeks, he placed a pad mimicking a cat’s purr on the left and right lungs of 12 patients for 20 minutes a day. Otherwise, no other therapy methods were used during this time. After two weeks, all patients had better values than before.
Cats Can Prevent Allergies
Keeping cats has a positive effect, especially for children: in children who live with a cat in the household from the age of one, the risk of allergies decreases later in life (if there is no family history). Because the immune system can form antibodies through contact with the animals.
Tolerance to other allergies also increases through living with a dog or cat from the first year of life. This was found by a Swedish research team from the University of Gothenburg. The researchers found that infants who lived with a dog or cat were less likely to develop allergies later in life than children who grew up without a pet. If the infant lived with several pets, the effects were even stronger.
Petting Cats For High Blood Pressure
Cats are also said to be able to help with high blood pressure: petting an animal for just eight minutes is said to reduce stress and lower blood pressure. And that has an impact on cardiovascular health: According to a study by the University of Minnesota, cat owners have a lower risk of heart attack and a lower risk of other cardiovascular diseases
Cats Help With Life Crises and Depression
Anyone who has a cat knows that the mere presence of the animals makes them feel good and happy. Petting cats triggers happiness hormones in humans. Even in difficult situations, cats can offer comfort and support just by being there.
In a study by Professor Dr. Reinhold Bergler of the University of Bonn, 150 people were accompanied in acute crisis situations, e.g. unemployment, illness, or separation. Half of the test subjects had a cat, the other half had no pet. Over the course of the study, almost two-thirds of people without a cat sought the help of a psychotherapist, but none of the cat owners. In addition, cat owners needed significantly fewer sedatives than people without pets.
The professor explained this result by saying that cats bring joy and comfort to life and also act as a “catalyst” in dealing with problems.