Really cool - Cats & healing abilities

March 18, 2001

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et?ac=004582369062218 & rtmo=fsw0rlMs & atmo=rr

rrrrrq & pg=/et/01/3/18/wcat18.html

SCIENTISTS have discovered that the purring of cats is a " natural

healing mechanism " that has helped inspire the myth that they have

nine lives.

None lives: wounded cats purr because it helps their bones and organs

to heal. Wounded cats - wild and domestic - purr because it helps

their bones and organs to heal and grow stronger, say researchers who

have analysed the purring of different feline species. This, they say,

explains why cats survive falls from high buildings and why they are

said to have " nine lives " . Exposure to similar sound frequencies is

known to improve bone density in humans.

The scientists, from the Fauna Communications Research Institute in

North Carolina, found that between 27 and 44 hertz (a measure of the

number of cycles per second) was the dominant frequency for a house

cat, and 20-50Hz for the puma, ocelot, serval, cheetah and caracal.

This reinforces studies confirming that exposure to frequencies of

20-50Hz strengthens human bones and helps them to grow.

Dr Elizabeth von Muggenthaler, the president of the institute, said:

" Old wives' tales usually have a grain of truth behind them and cats

do heal very quickly. The healing power of purring seems to explain

their 'nine lives'. " The scientists say that sound waves created at a

particular frequency trigger the healing process in feline bones.

Purring is believed to have a similar effect to ultrasound treatment

on humans. Dr von Muggenthaler said: " We are starting to solve a

3,000-year-old mystery as to why cats purr. The next phase will be to

explain the mechanics of the process. "

Almost all cats purr, including lions and cheetahs, though not tigers.

Dr. von Muggenthaler said that purring had to be advantageous to a cat

to survive natural selection, but there seemed to be no obvious

advantage for a cat merely to display contentment. A natural capacity

for increasing bone growth and strength and reducing healing time was,

however, " clearly advantageous " .

Cats' ability to survive and recover quickly after falling from tall

buildings is well documented. One recent study, published in The

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, found that out

of 132 cats that fell an average of 5.5 storeys, 90 per cent survived,

including one that

fell 45 storeys.

Other scientific teams are researching whether " sound treatment " could

be used to halt osteoporosis and even renew bone growth in

post-menopausal women. Dr David Purdie, from Hull University's centre

for metabolic bone disease, said that the human skeleton needs

stimulation or it begins to leak calcium and weaken. " Purring could be

the cat's way of providing that stimulation for its own bones. "

He said that it was difficult to devise physical exercises for old

people suffering from osteoporosis and speculated that it might be

possible to create a mechanism to use cats' purring to help strengthen

elderly bones.

March 18, 2001

When my wife is having cramps, our oldest cat will come and sit in her lap

and start purring at top volume. I've always suspected that cats have

healing power.

> " Michelle Hughes " <lunarmm

>

> " "

> Really cool - Cats & healing abilities

>Sun, 18 Mar 2001 01:12:40 -0500

>

>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et?ac=004582369062218 & rtmo=fsw0rlMs & atmo=rr

>rrrrrq & pg=/et/01/3/18/wcat18.html

>

>SCIENTISTS have discovered that the purring of cats is a " natural

>healing mechanism " that has helped inspire the myth that they have

>nine lives.

>

>None lives: wounded cats purr because it helps their bones and organs

>to heal. Wounded cats - wild and domestic - purr because it helps

>their bones and organs to heal and grow stronger, say researchers who

>have analysed the purring of different feline species. This, they say,

>explains why cats survive falls from high buildings and why they are

>said to have " nine lives " . Exposure to similar sound frequencies is

>known to improve bone density in humans.

>

>The scientists, from the Fauna Communications Research Institute in

>North Carolina, found that between 27 and 44 hertz (a measure of the

>number of cycles per second) was the dominant frequency for a house

>cat, and 20-50Hz for the puma, ocelot, serval, cheetah and caracal.

>This reinforces studies confirming that exposure to frequencies of

>20-50Hz strengthens human bones and helps them to grow.

>

>Dr Elizabeth von Muggenthaler, the president of the institute, said:

> " Old wives' tales usually have a grain of truth behind them and cats

>do heal very quickly. The healing power of purring seems to explain

>their 'nine lives'. " The scientists say that sound waves created at a

>particular frequency trigger the healing process in feline bones.

>Purring is believed to have a similar effect to ultrasound treatment

>on humans. Dr von Muggenthaler said: " We are starting to solve a

>3,000-year-old mystery as to why cats purr. The next phase will be to

>explain the mechanics of the process. "

>

>Almost all cats purr, including lions and cheetahs, though not tigers.

>Dr. von Muggenthaler said that purring had to be advantageous to a cat

>to survive natural selection, but there seemed to be no obvious

>advantage for a cat merely to display contentment. A natural capacity

>for increasing bone growth and strength and reducing healing time was,

>however, " clearly advantageous " .

>

>Cats' ability to survive and recover quickly after falling from tall

>buildings is well documented. One recent study, published in The

>Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, found that out

>of 132 cats that fell an average of 5.5 storeys, 90 per cent survived,

>including one that

>fell 45 storeys.

>

>Other scientific teams are researching whether " sound treatment " could

>be used to halt osteoporosis and even renew bone growth in

>post-menopausal women. Dr David Purdie, from Hull University's centre

>for metabolic bone disease, said that the human skeleton needs

>stimulation or it begins to leak calcium and weaken. " Purring could be

>the cat's way of providing that stimulation for its own bones. "

>

>He said that it was difficult to devise physical exercises for old

>people suffering from osteoporosis and speculated that it might be

>possible to create a mechanism to use cats' purring to help strengthen

>elderly bones.

>

_______________

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March 18, 2001

It's called laying on of paws...

Maggie

Ray Hunter [rayhuntermt]

Sunday, March 18, 2001 11:32 AM

Re: Really cool - Cats & healing abilities