LONDON (AP) – A British community college has recorded a house cat named Smokey whose lawnmower-like purr hit 73 decibels, which is 16 times louder than the average feline.
Northampton College in central England said Wednesday it received a request from Smokey’s owner, Ruth Adams, to provide the equipment needed to file a world record application.
The college agreed, dispatching a team with specialist sound equipment to record Smokey purring in the comfort of Adams’ home in the nearby village of Pitsford, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) northwest of London.
The recording has now been submitted to Guinness World Records for vetting.
The 12-year-old gray-and-white tabby has already made several media appearances, with journalists comparing the purr to the sound of a Boeing 747 from a mile away. A video posted to the cat’s website made it sound more like the cooing of an angry dove.