Why do cats purr?

Today I learnt why cats do purr.
In a nutshell: purring is a kind of self-medication. Probably. Let's see why.

Cats purr not only when we stoke them but also in other moments in their life, as when they nurse their kittens or ... when they are in pain or near to death!
These facts seem to tell us that purring has nothing to do with happiness, or with the pleasure to be with us...

Cats purr by pulsing muscles in their larynx and diaphragm. The resulting vibrations have frequencies between 25 and 150 Hz.  Interestingly, scientific studies have shown that exposure to this frequency range can improve bone density and promote healing... hence the conclusion:
purring is a kind of self-medication!

This makes a lot of sense, since these adorable creatures are quite lazy (unlike dogs, cats do not like to chase balls) and nevertheless they stay healthy (even without physical exercise!)

Amazing!




References:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/
SciShow Video

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