The soft purring of your cat is soothing to you as gently pet her while she is sitting on your lap. Why do cats do this?  Generally, cats purr when they are content or are pleased.  Purring is also a way that a mother and her kittens communicate.  Did you know that cats will also purr when they are under stress?  A visit to the vet or if they are recovering from an injury can cause a cat to purr but for a different reason.  So cats purr when they are content but also when they are under some sort of stress.

One view is that  original purpose of purring was to let a kitten communicate to it’s mother letting her know that everything is Okay.  Kittens can purr buy the second day of life but they can’t meow at this point. A mother often purrs back probably to reassure the kitten.

The sound frequency of purring is between 25 and 150 hertz. It has also been said that purring can improve bone density and promote healing. So there is some evidence that cats can influence our health in a positive way. Purring is a natural low energy way to stimulate bones and muscles.

So remember, when your cat is perched on his kitty sill, contently looking out of the window purring his heart out, he is really helping you as well!