http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-healing-power-of-purring.html
The Healing Power of Purring
I had a trooper of a cat who lived with me for a whopping 20 years. She had a special talent for sensing when I was sick or blue, and would lay extended, purring, on my chest. It always made me happy and feel better somehow. I assumed it was just my emotional response to her affection, but as it turns out there may be more to the story. In The Cat Behavior Answer Book (Storey Publishing, 2007), author Arden Moore talks about the power of purring.
Moore says that recent studies have validated that hanging around a contented, purring cat can drop a human’s high blood pressure to within normal range, decrease stress, conquer feelings of loneliness, and even bolster self-confidence. About 65 percent of American households have pets, but we are just realizing the power our pets possess in helping us to heal emotionally, physically, and mentally. Scientists are also discovering that cats and other cherished pets possess special healing powers that help fight disease and cope with chronic conditions.
In his book the Healing Power of Pets, veterinarian Marty Becker describes the biochemical impact pets have on their owners’ body chemistry. He interviewed numerous medical experts who provided the results of many scientific studies that support a biological basis for what we’ve felt intuitively–that people can be healthier by interacting positively with pets. For example, the mere act of petting your cat can lower your blood pressure.
Some medical doctors even recommend “pet prescriptions” to their patients who are alone and need companionship. That’s because physicians have discovered that a family pet can actually motivate some patients to give their best effort when dealing with serious illness such as cancer. Having a pet to care for and feed can stimulate ailing individuals to take better care of themselves.
Here are three easy ways to tap into the healing power of your feline companion:
1. Spend some time each day just looking at, listening to, and talking with your cat. This helps release those “feel-good” biochemicals that help you relax.
2. Rub your cat the right way. Learn to give your pet a therapeutic massage for some one-on-one time that will soothe both of you.
3. Engage in purposeful play with your cat and you might discover that you can let go of daily stress more easily, breathe more deeply, and laugh more freely.
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29 comments
add your comment »I too, love my cats they are so important in my life. They sleep with me at night and I have one that stays in the computer room with me and watches everything I do in here. I have one that goes with me every time I go to the bathroom and stands right by the tub while I shower and watches to make sure that I get out. I have 2 that like to watch TV with me. Sometime i will wake up and they are all in bed with me and I know that sometime during the night there was thunder and lighting, they hate it. If I start to breath funny Lucy will come over and nip on me until I wake up and put my oxygen back on right. They mean so much to me and I am not by myself. They are entrain ting, comforting, and helpful.
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Hi cat lovers.
I have lived with cats since I was born. As a baby I used to sleep with lots of them, so I guess I learned first to understand their purrings than the human language. I can't imagine living without cats, they are my family and I love them SO MUCH.
Now I only have 9 cats but some years ago I had over 50 living in my house with my daughter and me.
I am absolutely sure that cats have a healing power and they know when you are ill and they come to heal you. Some years ago I had a very bad throat infection, I could hardly talk so much pain I had (excuse my english, its not my language). At night one of my cats came and slept on my throat, at first I kicked him away a few times, but at the end I fell asleep with the cat on top of me. Next morning I was cured. Its not a joke, its absolutely true. The same happened to a friend of mine that slept at home one night, he was amazed. That was about 30 years ago and he stil remembers it.
The cats also notice when you are sad, they come and start cuddling you and purring very strongly. They are very, very inteligent animals, and we should learn a lot from them.
I am very happy to see that there are lots of people who love cats. Sometimes there are people who think they don't like cats, but once they get to know them closely, they love them too. I know of people that didn't like them (they didn't know why) and after coming to my house for some time and having close contact with my cats they ended up loving them too.
bye
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i did a healing introduction energy healing course a couple of years ago and get to learn to sense peoples energies - I would practice on my cats - one of them Lolo would heal me I am convinced of it. I would ground myself and connect with her and she would turn into this ball of golden orange energy and light - and would hop off when she was done : her energy ball is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. She would tell me when it was time for bed and then sit on my hair as I went to sleep, just as I would be falling asleep she would jump off and go and do her night time cat things - it was like she was putting me to bed like her own child. She was killed a couple of years ago, it still hurts that she is no longer there but the love and the memory is still strong....
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I have lived with cats all my life I have raised them and shown them for 15 yrs as well. Have birthed hundreds of baby kittens, raised lovingly underfoot. Sometimes in my neck lol.
(they end up there in the middle of the night all tucked in)
The healing power of the purr is amazing. Sometimes the notes of the purr can be full of range, as far as how musical they can be. My cream ticked tabby actually puts a song behind his purring when he is especially content, and loves to be gently squeezed as well. Or, hugged. He loves it. He purrs even louder. I have seen my cats purr as they were dying. I've seen them purr as I laid with them on my last leg dying. Nothing makes me feel better, than falling asleep to my purring cats, besides human contact with my mate.
I would rate being able to hear a Lion purr up close ear on belly a huge experience that would be!! I'd love to hear the notes of those purrs.
I also notice that when one purrs the others will also start their motors. so many different situations occur when a cat is purring. From death to extreme contentment to being catnipped out of their little minds, the miracle of the Purr and it's effects should be studied. It's one of those things you wish you could bottle. One woman tried she has made a stuffed cat that actually purrs and is motion activated. For me living with cats and raising Siamese and Orientals has been a very special experience and I cannot imagine my life without a cat. Cleopatra
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It's so nice to talk to and play with my six cats and once one of them - my tabby Ampalaya - goes to my bedroom, that's when the fun begins. My other cat is a bicolor named Ginger, one is my tortoiseshell and white Chloe, and the other three are Callie, Okra (who does the same thing as her tabby littermate), and Repolyo (who enjoys watching TV with me. I also understand the lady who wrote that she is obsessed with cats.
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im OBSESSED with my kitten!! i got him at the Animal Care and Control ceter in San Francisco a few months ago, and he has really changed my life. He has the most amazing personality and he always makes me happy when I'm sad. Even if my boyfriend and I get in a huge fight and we see Papi (cat) act crazy or do something cute, we can't help but laugh or talk about how cute he is. He really has healed my home life! I wish I could cuddle him right now!
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I AGREE 100% Animals are great company cats,horses and dogs in fact all animals what is more relaxing than watching the birds feeding in the garden - My dearest wish is that all people would love and mix with animals and give them the respect and care in their lives that they deserve.Then life would really be nice.
Zara.
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Dale I absolutely agree with you about getting your pets from the shelters and not from the malls. We can all do our part of stopping the animal mills. and shelters have so many loving animals that are just pleading to go home to a loving family.
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Oh how I absolutely love love love my 2 cats. Brother and sister. Kane and Kalle. They are the best of friends and my best friends- besides my teenage son. Ive had cats always and these 2 for 7 years. I hope to have soooo many more years with them because they add sooooo much joy to my life. I dont know what id do without them. Theyre always there when I need them and cats are very therapeutic. I could go on on on but all you cat lovers--- I think you understand where Im comin from. Go home and give those babys a great big hug.
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Writing about my kitties makes me want to rush home and tell them how much I love them. I wish my husband showed half as much interest in me as they do. Not that my husband is that bad, but they make me feel special somehow.
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