Is this science?

Hi. Cat scientist (or therapist?) here. Also my cats’ can opener.

Cats purr for many reasons: contentment, communication, sometimes because they have decided that your keyboard is a suitable place to experience joy.

People also tend to find purring calming, although no one has fully explained why a small animal making a continuous vibrating sound near your vital organs feels reassuring instead of alarming.

Domestic cats usually purr somewhere between 25 and 150 Hz, which in certain studies has been linked to relaxation, reduced stress, and, in some cases, physical healing. The exact mechanism is still being debated, but low, steady vibrations appear to have a generally soothing effect on the nervous system in many mammals.

Wild cats purr, too, but you’d better admire them from afar. No pspsps either, unless you’re trying to become a case study.

So this page plays one minute of gentle cat purring.

But for 60 seconds, it might give your brain something simple and rhythmic to focus on that isn’t a notification, a headline, or a message that begins with “hope this finds you well.”

You can go back to everything immediately after.