British cat sets record for loudest purr

A 14-year-old cat named Bella, living in Huntingdon (UK), hit in the Guinness Book of Records for the loudest in the world purr. Its volume was 54.59 dB, and the recording microphone was a meter from the animal and the floor.

For comparison, a boiling kettle or even a running washing machine sounds at the same volume.

According to cat owner Nicole Spink, Bella's unique talent is quite natural: “She purrs all day long! If there is food or hugs nearby, she always purrs." She also added that her late husband always grumbled because the cat's purring interrupted the sound of the TV in the evenings.

Bella purrs even in the most unexpected places, like the veterinarian's office. “Some vets said she was the only cat they had there that purred,” Nicole added.

The cat itself is very friendly, but also quite lazy. She happily just lies on the couch and eats food all day long, the owner noted.

Bella holds the record for the loudest purr of any living domestic cat. However, the absolute record for the loudest purr belongs to two other cats, Smokey and Merlin. Smokey purred at 67.8 dB in 2011, a whopping 13.21 louder than Bella. Four years later, Merlin matched him.