Friday, September 30, 2011

The Healing Power of Purr Therapy

By Julia Williams

I have nothing against medical doctors. They’ve certainly played a role in my care since birth, and have even helped me a time or two. But there are times when I opt for a more unconventional mode of healing, one I’ve taken to calling “Purr Therapy” for lack of a better term. Sometimes, Purr Therapy is all I need to cure whatever ails me. Whether I suffer from a physical, mental or emotional malady, Purr Therapy can miraculously take me through the illness and into perfect health.

What is this strange healing power I call Purr Therapy? Well, it’s not some mumbo-jumbo snake-oil tactic, I assure you. Purr Therapy is simply believing in and allowing the natural healing power that my cats have. Though some might dismiss this notion as fallacy, the miraculous healing powers of pets have been well documented by doctors, veterinarians and animal lovers alike. And truly, just about everyone who has a close bond with their pet has experienced this natural healing ability firsthand. Purr Therapy – and its companion Wag Therapy – can be holistic complements to your wellbeing regime.

Purr Therapy allows my body’s own natural healing ability to shine, thereby creating health and wellness in every cell. Purr Therapy centers me, lifts my spirits and makes me feel glad to be alive. Who can feel sad or sick with a cat lying on their chest so close to their heart, purring like mad? Certainly not I. Who could allow pain to diminish their happiness when there is a pet nearby, so willing to give and receive love? Oh…not I, that is for sure. Purr Therapy has the miraculous ability to make everything seem all right, even when it isn’t. In fact, I think Purr Therapy can be a thousand – no, a million! – times more effective than any anti-depressant medication.

When I combine Purr Therapy with a long petting session, the healing power is magnified tremendously. Stroking the soft fur of a beloved pet is therapeutic for body and soul. It’s been proven to lower blood pressure and reduce stress, and can help us feel more connected to life and love. But cats and dogs are not just vacant recipients of our attention. These angels with fur are sentient beings who have an uncanny ability to know when we suffer and even, where it hurts. Further, they use their natural healing powers to try to make the pain go away. If they are unsuccessful at times, I think it’s only because our rational mind gets in the way. We disallow their healing because we think they can’t. And when we think they can’t, it’s like placing your hand over a spinning top – it stops cold.

I’m learning to allow Purr Therapy to work its magic on my body and my mind, because I truly believe it’s possible. No, I certainly won’t forsake my doctor or conventional medicine, because I know they have a place in my care. But I’ve come to see how important Purr Therapy (and Wag Therapy) can be for creating a healthy body, mind and soul. My cats are not “just pets” to me. They are loving, sentient beings whose very presence can turn a crappy day into one that seems sunny even when clouds cover the sky. I would not want to live in a world without the healing power of Purr Therapy. Thankfully, I don’t have to. 

Photo by Mike Lawson

Read more articles by Julia Williams

16 comments:

  1. I know when I purr over mommy when she has a problem..she at least smiles and I think I make her better!

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  2. Purr therapy works, and there is nothing better ever!!!

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  3. Purr therapy is the best. It does cure all kinds of things. But one little kitten kept me awake most of the night purring her little head off. It was the first night spent out of the bathroom and she was so excited, she spent the night circling me while purring as loud as possible.

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  4. Julie says..I believe in purr therapy, too. I can't tell you the number of times over the years that a pet has come to my emotional "rescue" with a comforting purr of support. Through thick and thin, as they say, cats make our lives much more liveable. Wag therapy is good, too. Sometimes, I've needed both!

    I say (Tom here) it is one of our duties to humans to make life a little easier. One holy man once even said we were very spiritual little beings and I totally agree! (I think he was an archbishop)

    Hugs,
    Tom

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  5. We don't have any kitties here, but we all believe strongly in the power of the love from a pet. We know it works here, we always make our Mom feel good.

    Have a great weekend.

    Woos ~ Phantom, Thunder, Ciara, and Lightning

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  6. Purr Therapy is used here! We always make our mommy feel better when we treat her with our special healing purrs!

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  7. My Human misses the Kitties Who Came Before who used to purr on her all the time.

    Me? Spitty don't do that, MOL!

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  8. Julia - I don't need fancy evidence from scholars or doctors on this subject. Anyone that loves a cat knows Purr Theraphy to be just the right medicine to what ails the mind and heart...

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  9. We're with you, Julia. Purr therapy totally works!

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  10. I am sure it decreases stress hormones and lowers blood pressure!

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  11. My mum is a big believer in purr therapy too. It can help in so many ways.. Hugs GJ xx

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  12. You are so right! Our pets definitely have the power to comfort and heal.

    Pat
    www.critteralley.blogspot.com

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  13. We have lots of cats to purr for Mom and Pop so they will live long healthy lives - right?

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  14. Amen. It's what happiness is all about, to me.

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  15. Purr therapy does have a medical basis. According to Dr. David Williams, an alternative medicine doctor, a cats purr has the power to speed up the healing of broken bones. He says it is the frequency of the purr that provides the healing factor. The purring also provides a pleasant mental feeling.

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  16. Purr therapy scientically proven to heal. The healing goes both ways: cats purr to heal us but also themselves. An injured cat will often purr.

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