Purring to cats

[SelinaR]

Hi everyone, I have a question.
Something I've found incredibly helpful over many years of being a cat mom is to purr at them. It seems to be calming and I had one with a terrible appetite and purring at him nearly always got him to eat. It works on my current ones too. What I'm wondering is has anyone else done this? CAN you make that noise? [A friend says she can't, so I clearly it's a skill and I'm wondering if it's teachable]
Thanks!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

purring at him nearly always got him to eat.

Fantastic observation Selina!

Yes, yes, yes! This is a wonderful example of connecting with our pets.

The act of purring/humming helps induce a parasympathetic state of relaxing, restoring and healing.

stimulates the vagus nerve, activating the parasympathetic nervous system (rest-and-digest response) to lower stress, heart rate, and blood pressure, while boosting mood-enhancing chemicals and increasing heart rate variability (HRV). By vibrating the body and slowing exhalation, humming moves you out of "fight-or-flight" into a calmer state, making it an effective, research-backed method for managing anxiety and improving overall well-being.

The Power of Humming

Discover the stress-reducing benefits of simple humming, for improved heart health and inner calm.

www.psychologytoday.com

If you're willing to share it, I would love to hear what your purr sounds like. Maybe record a short clip on your phone and upload it here or send it to me by email.

 

[ChristineL]

Hi everyone, I have a question.
Something I've found incredibly helpful over many years of being a cat mom is to purr at them. It seems to be calming and I had one with a terrible appetite and purring at him nearly always got him to eat. It works on my current ones too. What I'm wondering is has anyone else done this? CAN you make that noise? [A friend says she can't, so I clearly it's a skill and I'm wondering if it's teachable]
Thanks!

I tried but couldn't purr! I wish I could
I sometimes play this for my cats: The Internet has a Cat! Meet Purrli, the online cat purr generator.