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PurringPurring is a soft rumbling noise made by a domestic cat.
Why do cats purr? Purring may appear to us to indicate well-being and contentment, but this is not always the case. It is well-established that a cat will also purr when it is uneasy, nervous or in great pain, perhaps to comfort itself. Purring may also reduce pain, help a wounded cat to heal, and even help to keep a cat's bones strong. Cats purr at 27 - 44 hertz, and exposure to similar sound frequencies is known to improve bone density in humans. Purring has also been proven to have positive effects on cell regeneration. This healing mechanism may be the reason behind the myth that cats have nine lives. Female cats are known to purr while giving birth, and this may be to reduce the pain and also assist post-natal healing. Mother cats may use purring to call their kittens to nurse. Unable to see, hear or smell very well the kittens can feel the vibrations of their mother's purring. Science still does not know how cats purr. One theory holds it involves cats' false vocal cords, which do not appear to have any other function. Another theory involves blood hitting the aorta. Alternatively, purring may be caused by the vibrations of the hyoid apparatus, a series of small bones connecting the skull and the larynx that nominally serves to support the tongue. Some cats seem to be able to meow without interrupting the purring noise. Also see: the fairy tale 'Why Cats Purr'
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Purring" and from Cat-Purr.com
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