Your Cat's Purrfect Healing System

What makes a cat purr? Because he's happy? Hungry?

Researchers at North Carolina's Fauna Communications Research Institute in the U.S. believe that purring is actually a natural healing mechanism, which may explain why cats are so resilient to injury.

The audio frequency of a cat's purr is believed to be ideal to stimulate the healing of bones and organs, just as ultrasound is used as a treatment in human physiotherapy.

Dr Elizabeth von Muggenthaler, president of the institute claims purring is a "natural way to increase strength and decrease healing time". The evidence may be used to benefit humans suffering from Osteoporosis (Brittle Bone Disease).

A separate study in National Geographic Magazine supported the findings by showing that chicken bones placed on a vibrating plate for 20 minutes every day grew stronger.

Friday, 30 March 2001