U.K. cat may be world’s loudest
Merlin's purr could topple current record holder.
With a ferocious purr measured at 100 decibels, Merlin the cat is four times as loud as the average kitty.
“When I’m on the phone I often have people asking me what on earth the noise is,” said owner Tracy Westwood.
The current Guinness record holder, Smokey, was measured at 92 decibels, so Westwood is aiming to get the official designation for her 12-year-old rescue cat.
The average cat purrs at 25 decibels
How and why cats purr is still a mystery, according to expert Dr. Marty Becker, but experts do have theories.
Cats purr when they're happy, but cats also purr if they're injured, while giving birth and even when dying. As with a smile, there's no such thing as a purr that isn't welcome. Cats know this themselves.
— Hear it at the U.K.’s Mirror
Bing: World's biggest cat
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