"As a veterinarian, I am commonly asked
“Why do cats purr?” Most people believe cats
purr when they are content or happy. While
cats do purr when they are content,
researchers attempting to uncover the answer
to this 3,000-year-old mystery are finding
the answer more complicated than previously
thought. All domestic cats purr, as well as
many wild cats, like pumas, ocelots, lions
and cheetahs. Purring can occur in a variety
of situations. When cats purr in the
presence of other unknown cats or kittens,
the behavior may serve to convey
submissiveness or a friendly greeting. While
it is true that cats purr contentedly while
on their pet parent’s lap, they also purr
when they give birth, when they are
frightened, severely injured and even while
dying. Because kitties clearly cannot be
content in all these situations, contentment
or friendliness cannot be the only reason
they purr.
So why else would they purr?
Perhaps it is helpful to look at purring
in the context of natural selection. Natural
selection tells us that a particular
behavior or trait will persist from
generation to generation only if it is
beneficial to an animal’s survival. For
purring to exist in both domestic and wild
cats, there must be something vital about
the behavior. Purring is created by the
vibration of the cat’s larynx and diaphragm,
and therefore requires an expense of energy.
If a kitty is sick, they would not use
precious energy to purr unless there was a
very good benefit.
Researchers have found certain types of
purrs are meant to communicate with their
people. In 2009, researchers discovered a
high-pitched cry, similar to that of a human
infant, embedded in the purrs of cats
soliciting food. They were using the purr to
signal their human caretakers that they
needed something. Those sneaky kitties!
I'm sure you have heard the expression
that "cats have nine lives". Similarly,
veterinarians have an old saying that if you
put a cat who has broken bones in a room
with other cats, the breaks will heal. In
fact, cats are amazing self-healers: they
have fewer post-operative complications than
dogs, have a lower incidence of bone and
joint disease than dogs, and 90% of cats
survive high-rise falls – I'm talking falls
from 5 story buildings! (Robinson, et. al
1976) What could possibly account for these
facts?
One theory is that the purr has healing
properties. Researchers have found that
vibrations in the frequency range between 25
and 50 hertz promote bone strength,
stimulate healing of fractures, provide pain
relief, and help heal tendons and muscles.
In 2001, National Geographic reported a
study where chickens grew stronger bones
after been placed on a vibrating plate for
20 minutes daily. Bioacoustic researchers
have recently studied purring in 47 cats,
both wild and domestic. They studied the
frequency, pitch, loudness and duration of
purring in relation to the cat’s behavior,
and guess what they found? The domestic
house cat purrs in the range of 25 and 50
Hz: the exact range associated with healing
properties such as increased bone density.
Maybe this has something to do with a
cat’s uncanny ability to “heal by
association”. Perhaps purring is part of the
reason why, when we fall ill, having a cat
sit on our laps can actually make us feel
better. Whether it is simply the comfort of
having a friend nearby, or whether it’s the
vibrational frequencies of your kitty’s
rumble, the joy of a cat purring on your lap
is priceless.
Whatever the reason, I encourage you to
take care of your cat. Keep him happy and
purring and you'll likely both lead
healthier and happier lives.
Thank you for all you do to make the
world a better place for your dear
companions."
Dr. Jane Bicks, DVM
References:
McComb K, Taylor AM, Wilson C, Charlton
BD. The cry embedded within the purr.
Curr Biol. 2009 Jul 14;19(13):R507-8.
Rubin C, McLeod K. Promotion of bony
ingrowth by frequency specific, low
amplitude mechanical strains. Clinical
Orthopedics and Related Research, 289,
165-174, 1994
Elizabeth von Muggenthaler The felid
purr: A healing mechanism? Presented, and
published in the proceedings from the 12th
International Conference on Low Frequency
Noise and Vibration and its Control held in
Bristol, UK, 18th to 20th September 2006.
Chen et al, The Effects of Frequency of
Mechanical Vibration on Experimental
Fracture Healing. Chinese Journal of
Surgery, 32 (4), 217-219, 1994.
Kidd L, Stepien, RL, Amrheiw DP. Clinical
findings and coronary artery disease in dogs
and cats with acute and subacute myocardial
necrosis: 28 cases. Journal of the American
Animal Hospital Association, 36, 199-208,
2000.
Leduc A, Lievens P, Dewald J. The
influence of multidirectional vibrations on
wound healing and on regeneration of blood
and lymph vessels. Lymphology, 14(4),
179-85, 1981.
Rothschild BM, Rothschild C, Woods RJ.
Inflammatory arthritis in large cats: an
expanded spectrum of spondyloarthropathy. J
Zoo Wildl Med. 1998 Sep;29(3):279-84.
Garman R, Gaudette G, Donahue LR, Rubin
C, Judex S. Low-level accelerations applied
in the absence of weight bearing can enhance
trabecular bone formation. J of Orthop Res.
2007 Jun;25(6):732-40.
Lundeberg TC. Vibratory stimulation for
the alleviation of chronic pain. Acta
Physiol Scand Suppl. 1983;523:1-51.
Spanish
researchers report that allergies to cat
dander can be significantly reduced through
the use of sublingual immunotherapy.
Creating a dissolvable allergy pill from an
extract of cats’ shed skin cells, scientists
found that nearly two-thirds of participants
in the study demonstrated a much improved
tolerance to the presence of cats. In light
of the fact that there were no adverse
reactions to the treatment, researchers are
hopeful that this method of “exposure”
treatment may significantly decrease other
allergic responses.
Source: Allergy, July 2007.
Kitty Grass Information!
Did you know that Cats crave grass? Now you can grow your own with easy to
grow kitty grass kits.
Kitty Grass Seeds.
Increasingly, American businesses are welcoming companion animals into the workplace. According to a recent survey, nearly 20% of U.S. businesses are adopting open-door policies to pet parents and their companion animals. The importance of this newfound acceptance is evidenced in the recent phenomenal success of simplyhired,com, a job search web site that allows job seekers to sort results by companies that are pet-friendly!
Trimming the Nails of Your Dog
and or Cat
by Dr. Sarah
Just some information covered in the
video:
Get sharp clippers and
styptic powder from your local supply store
If you are going to be
doing this on a regular basis you should
invest in a quality clipper
Choose a comfortable
place for your pet to feel comfortable and
safe
First start with praise
and or reward touching your baby’s paws if
they are apprehensive about you touching the
paws
Dr. Sarah goes into how to
position your pet wither a small or large
pet
What is the quick on the pet
and how to avoid hitting it so you don’t
hurt your pet?
Be prepared ahead of time
How to hold the clippers for
cats and dogs
Don’t Miss this
informational and instructional video!
Featured Product:
Lifes Abundance Agility Joint Formula for Dogs
and Cats
Agility joint formula features
Glucosamine and MSM, and is a natural and
multi-action supplement containing
scientifically-tested ingredients.
Dr. Jane Bicks, DVM
Lifes Abundance Veterinarian Formulator
For years I’ve been working to persuade
countless people to recognize one simple notion
– that nutrition is the foundation of life. In
my years at Lifes Abundance, I’ve done my utmost
to formulate foods and treats that help to
establish and maintain this important
foundation. Our companion animals depend on us
to provide much-needed proteins, fats, vitamins,
minerals and other crucial nutrients – to help
them grow when they are young and to maintain
health through their hopefully long adult years.
Many pet foods are made based upon formulas
that, at least on paper, fulfill the generally
accepted nutritional requirements, which are
then labeled “complete” or “balanced diets”. As
a veterinarian, my nutritional philosophy
differs from that of most pet food
manufacturers.
Over the years I’ve seen hundreds of
undernourished puppies and kittens, whose ears,
skin and intestinal tracts are in various stages
of decline. I’ve also witnessed them respond
positively to increased consumption of nutrients
and whole foods, having the effect of improving
their health and shoring up their immune
systems. I’ve also seen far too many middle-aged
cats and dogs on these diets pass general
examinations but lack energy, have dull eyes,
are disagreeable, experience urinary tract
issues, suffer with skin and coat conditions. I
know from these professional experiences that
for a food to be truly nutritional, it must be
formulated based upon different standards. These
higher standards must take into account the
actual physiology of dogs and cats in addition
to accepted nutritional requirements.
Dogs and cats are complex organisms. At
Lifes Abundance, we believe that a pet’s food must
address all the many aspects of their bodies and
chemistries. That’s why we’ve included such a
broad spectrum of nutrients – every ingredient
in Life’s Abundance is selected to enhance
specific parts of the body. The resulting
balance of ingredients is combined in a very
particular way, which becomes our holistic
formula -- each ingredient working with the
others to fulfill the needs of every dog and
cat.
And believe me, there are many needs to fill!
For example, some dogs have skin problems and
others do not. It is heartbreaking to see a dog,
or cat, scratch excessively and bite, further
damaging their skin.
When formulating Life’s Abundance, I selected
ingredients to support all of the important
bodily structures and functions. However, I
would like to touch on skin and coat health
since biting and scratching are among the top
reasons pet parents take their companion animals
to the vet. Protein is crucial – especially for
puppies and seniors – so I selected
highly-digestible, superior-quality proteins,
putting in exactly the amounts that both young
and old require for optimal skin and coat
health. We also added flaxseed meal because it
includes proteins that meats don’t have and
antioxidants which the skin needs for optimal
health. Not only that, but flaxseed meal
contains a nice mixture of B vitamins and oil.
We added Omega-3 fatty acids (from fish oil), as
numerous studies have shown it’s essential to
skin health. As well as addressing the direct
requirements of skin and coat, we included
ingredients to help enhance the immune system, a
must for the healthiest possible skin. Life’s
Abundance has numerous vegetables because they
contain a wide array of antioxidants. Special
easily-absorbed minerals were also added because
minerals work to improve the effectiveness of
antioxidants (skin just loves zinc). And since
one of the largest immune organs is located in
the gut (GALT), several ingredients were
selected to provide nourishment for this
important immune organ.
I hope that you can see the importance of
building a food based on the physiology of our
precious companions. I truly believe that Life’s
Abundance represents the ultimate holistic pet
food, with all the ingredients necessary to help
companion animals live long, healthy and happy
lives.
For all of you already feeding Life’s Abundance,
I thank you for being responsible pet parents,
and for being agents of positive change in the
lives of your companion animals.
Warmest wishes,
Dr. Jane Bicks
Dr.
Jane Bicks, Veterinarian Product
Formulator
Dr.
Jane is a highly respected and
nationally recognized holistic
veterinarian. She is the author of three
national books on pet care and nutrition
and has served on professional boards
including the Cornell Feline Health
Center. Dr. Jane served as the President
of the Veterinary Medical Association in
NYC and was appointed by former Mayor
Rudolph Giuliani to help start one of
the largest animal shelters in the
United States. She has also appeared on
many network television and cable
programs and numerous radio stations as
a veterinary expert.
