Kitty Healing
Shannon King, Charity Director
Cats have always held a special place in my life. The amazing thing about cats is how they always know when you need supportive, quiet companionship. Have you ever noticed how your cat always knows when you aren’t feeling well and even seem to know where it hurts? If you’re feeling sad they encourage you to snuggle and pet them. If you have a stomach ache he may come and rest on your tummy or near your head if it’s a headache. As he quietly, and gently snuggles up the rhythmic purring machine begins… Purrr Purrr Purrr… He may even begin to knead you with his paws (making biscuits) and get that far away meditative stare in his eyes. Welcome Dr. Kitty. He may be trying to help you. Personally, I believe that he is.
Purring generally occurs between cats and their humans as a sign of happiness or when dinner is about to be served. Researchers have shown that there are differences in purrs between cats that are socializing with other cats and when they interact with humans. Not all purring is happy purring though. Sometimes cats purr when they are nervous or injured.
It’s the cat’s “healing by association” that people find most interesting – that ability to sympathetically help with healing in people simply by being around them. For instance, many individuals swear they can ease or completely eliminate their migraine headaches simply by lying down with a purring cat next to their head. And studies have shown that people with cats, especially senior citizens, have lower blood pressure and can live longer than people without cats.
Cat lovers know kitty’s purr is relaxing and stress-reducing, but science has shown it can also be physically beneficial. It’s not just the sound of purring that’s important, but the vibration it produces. Cats produce the purring sound through intermittent signaling of the laryngeal and diaphragmatic muscles.They purr during both inhalation and exhalation with a consistent pattern and harmonic frequency between 25 and 150 Hertz.
Studies have shown that different vibrational frequencies cause healing to take place in the body. Frequencies of 25-50hz are optimal to induce bone growth and repair so that fractures heal faster and weak bones build density. Higher frequency ranges increase that production of our natural anti-inflammatory compounds which reduce joint swelling and pain. Evidence suggests that healing frequencies can repair tissues such as muscles, tendons and ligaments. In patients suffering from chronic or acute pain, 82% experienced relief of their symptoms after listening to purring between 50-150hz. Many cat owners also report that their children develop a better sense of self-esteem and social skills when regularly interacting with their cat. Other research also suggests that cat owners are at a lower risk for developing heart disease.
Did you know your kitty was doing so much more than driving you crazy or giving you unconditional love? Having a cat in your life is so rewarding in so many ways but if you aren’t ready to adopt just yet there are other options to benefit from these healing frequencies. Try this website, https://mynoise.net/NoiseMachines/catPurrNoiseGenerator.php , for a kitty purr generator or look on YouTube for healing frequencies and you can find some lovely music at the same vibrational frequency range for when you aren’t feeling 100%.
