養(yǎng)貓的人會發(fā)現(xiàn)在貓睡覺的時候，和人親密互動的時候會發(fā)出呼嚕呼嚕（cat purr）的聲音，聽起來非常治愈。這是貓咪睡著了在打鼾嗎？

很多時候貓發(fā)出呼嚕呼嚕聲因為它覺得開心愉悅，和人待在一起很放松。

但除此之外，貓發(fā)出呼嚕聲還有其他的原因。

Research suggests that cats can purr for various reasons, using the soft rumble as a way of communicating and as a form of self-soothing or even healing.

研究表明，貓發(fā)出呼嚕聲有多種原因，它們用這種輕柔的聲音交流或者用來自我療愈，甚至療傷。

Kittens are born blind and deaf, remaining so until they are around two weeks old. However, they begin purring after just a few days, primarily to let their mothers know where they are, and to attract their attention at feeding time.

小貓出生時看不見也聽不到，這種狀態(tài)要持續(xù)大約兩周時間。然而它們出生幾天后就會開始發(fā)出呼嚕聲，這主要是為了讓母貓知道它們在哪里，并在喂食時引起母貓的注意。


這種通過呼嚕聲交流的方式對于養(yǎng)貓的人應(yīng)該并不陌生，因為它們餓了想要吃東西的時候，也會發(fā)出呼嚕呼嚕的聲音來和自己的主人交流。


這種交流的呼嚕聲還會因貓咪的需求而發(fā)生變化，《新科學(xué)人》（New Scientist）雜志就寫道：

A 2009 study found that cats can conceal a cry within their purr that triggers a nurturing instinct in their owners, similar to the cries of a human baby. The study observed that when purring to solicit food, the noise cats made was “more urgent and less pleasant”, suggesting they can manipulate their purrs to communicate different things.

2009年的一項研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，貓可以在呼嚕聲中隱藏一種哭喊聲，類似于人類嬰兒的哭聲，從而激發(fā)主人的養(yǎng)育本能。該研究觀察到，當(dāng)貓發(fā)出呼嚕聲以求食物時，聲音“更緊迫，不愉快”，這表明它們可以控制自己的呼嚕聲傳達(dá)不同的信息。

至于貓咪呼嚕聲的療愈功能就更加神奇了。

貓的呼嚕聲是貓在呼吸時喉嚨周圍的肌肉交替收縮和放松時所發(fā)出的聲響。這種呼嚕的頻率對于緩解疼痛和骨修復(fù)很有幫助。

Cats often purr while under duress, such as during a visit to the veterinarian or when recovering from injury.

貓經(jīng)常在受到脅迫時發(fā)出呼嚕聲，例如在看獸醫(yī)或受傷恢復(fù)時。

就像人類在緊張痛苦的時候通過哭叫、大笑或者收拾自己的桌子來轉(zhuǎn)移注意力，以達(dá)到療愈的效果，貓咪通過這種呼嚕聲來讓自己平靜下來，畢竟收拾好心情才能面對獸醫(yī)呢。

也難怪美劇《生活大爆炸》中謝爾頓生病時就會讓別人唱“Soft Kitty”給他聽:

“Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur! Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr purr purr!”

貓咪的purr purr聲真的很治愈呢！

而呼嚕聲修復(fù)組織（tissue regeneration）的功能除了幫助貓咪自身療傷，讓其擁有“九條命”，對于人類也大有裨益。

Cats purr during both inhalation and exhalation with a consistent pattern and frequency between 25 and 150 Hertz. Various investigators have shown that sound frequencies in this range can improve bone density and promote healing.

In fact, purr-like vibration devices have been patented for potential use in therapy, and some researchers have proposed strapping vibrating plates to astronauts' feet during long space flights to retain bone density.

事實上，類似呼嚕聲的振動裝置已獲得專利，可用于一些治療。一些研究人員建議在長途太空飛行中將振動板綁在宇航員的腳上以保持其骨密度。

知道貓咪打呼嚕背后的原因以后，鏟屎官們現(xiàn)在是不是更了解自己的小主子了呢？當(dāng)它呼嚕呼嚕的時候，記得具體情況具體分析，更好地了解貓咪的需求哦！

（來源：中國日報雙語新聞微信公眾號  編輯：陳月華、丹妮）