Almost all domestic cats purr, and wild cats, including cougars, ocelots, lynxes, and bobcats, can purr. Some purr softly, while others purr louder. The Guinness World Record for the loudest purring cat was set on October 17, 2023. Bella Spink, a 14-year-old domestic shorthair cat in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, UK, set the record by purring at 54.59 decibels.
There is an essential distinction in this category of Guinness World Records. Bella holds the record for a living cat. However, the loudest purring cat ever is a tie between two domestic cats, Smokey (Spring Hill farm, Pitsford, Northampton, UK) and Merlin (Torquay, Devon, UK). Smokey set the record on March 25, 2011, and Merlin tied it on April 5, 2015. Sadly, both Smokey and Merlin have since crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
Bella’s human, Nicole Spink, says, “She purrs all day long! If there’s food around, or cuddles, she always purrs. Also when watching TV – she likes to be loud with television. My late husband used to always moan about the sound of her purr blocking the sound of the TV in the evenings.”
Recording The Official Record For The Loudest Purring Cat
The loudest purring cat record has strict parameters. The team measures the purr with a sound level meter precisely one meter (39 inches) away from the cat and at a height of one meter from the floor. Sound blankets cover windows and doors. Independent specialist sound engineers conduct the measuring.
The entire process must meet the approval of GWR Adjudicator Dave Wilson (pictured above). The minimum decibel level a cat must reach is 50 decibels, A-weighted, which Bella reached. In a comparison, Guinness states that Bella’s record as the loudest purring cat means that she purrs about as loud as a boiling kettle.
Bella is not the only cat that holds a GWR. Nala Cat holds the GWR for most followers on Instagram for a cat. Kit Kat has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel and holds the GWR for most jump-rope skips by a cat in a minute. It’s never too late to train your cat to break a GWR! Good luck, and please share the story of the loudest purring cat.
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