Sometimes joy sneaks into life in the gentlest ways, catching people completely off guard.

For one hard-of-hearing woman, that joy arrived when, after getting hearing aids for the first time, her cat curled beside her and let out a soft purr.

Others may have overlooked this moment, but for her it was completely unforgettable.

Read on for the full story!

Got hearing aids today and cried because my cat purred

I (31F) began to lose my hearing about ten years ago, when I was in the military.

My husband and I got a cat about five years ago.

So when she finally got hearing aids, she started hearing all sorts of sounds she had never heard before.

I’ve never owned a cat before, so I had no idea what kind of noises they made besides “meow,” so I had no context for what to expect when I heard my cat purr for the first time today.

I was laying in bed and he jumped up next to me and snuggled into my armpit. I started to feel him vibrate like he always does and then I heard it.

I was so scared at first — I didn’t understand what the sound was.

But once she figured it out, she was hit with a wave of positive emotions.

Then it clicked: purring isn’t just vibrating! It’s a sound! I can hear it!

My cat has wandered off now, but I keep bursting into tears just thinking about his purr. I’ve never heard a cat purr before, and it’s so sweet.

There’s this ethereal quality to it I can’t even describe. It has this rhythmic pattern to it. It’s all nasally, but low and fluttery.

My husband and kids are sleeping, and I don’t want to wake them up, but I’ll tell them in the morning.

I just wanted to share this joy I’m feeling with someone now.

A cat’s purr may just be one of life’s greatest quiet wonders.

What did Reddit think?

This cat lover could talk about this subject for hours!

This story made this commenter even more grateful for their hearing.

Even the most minuscule sounds can be a wonder when your hearing is restored.

Purring really is a wonderful sound.

It was such a simple thing, yet it felt like pure magic.

Or, rather, “purr magic”.

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