Cat Purring Sounds

There has been an ongoing debate about the reason for cat purring sounds. Do cats purr because they are happy, to soothe themselves in a crisis or for some other reason? All cats purr, from the small domestic cat to the "King of the Jungle" lions, but despite all of the research, the question still remains: why do cats purr?

A content kitten often purrs.

It is unclear where purring sounds come from since the sound cannot be replicated in a deceased animal. What has been shown from electromyograms is that the sound seems to occur when a cat twitches its larynx muscles. This action causes the glottis to contract, and this in turn causes a vibration when the cat inhales and exhales. Vets believe this produces the familiar purring sound in felines.

There are many theories about why cats purr. Studies have shown that cats purr under many different conditions, from a cat nursing her litter to cats that are near death.

One theory about cat purring sounds is that mother cats purr so that their blind and deaf kittens can find them to nurse. Kittens can be heard purring as early as one week old. It is believed that they purr to communicate with their mother that all is well. Kittens also exhibit kneading behavior when they are purring and nursing. This may explain why they still knead and purr at the same time when they are happy as older cats.

Content cats seem to purr especially when they are being petted by humans or groomed by another cat. Sometimes the cats may purr very loudly while other times they may purr softly. Occasionally, a content cat may even purr and make other noises at the same time, such as making trilling or snorting noises. Often the purring is accompanied by gentle or vigorous kneading, usually in correlation to how content they really feel.

Cats have also been noted as purring when they are in pain or right before they die. It is believed that purring calms them down, perhaps even triggering the release of endorphins that helps them cope in stressful situations. An ill cat will purr when being examined by a vet even when they are getting shots or having blood drawn. German cat behaviorist Paul Leyhausen believes that this is a way for the cats to communicate to the humans that they mean no harm so that they won't be hurt in return.

Years ago it was believed that only domestic cats from the Felis genus purred. However, other cats have been heard to purr as well including those of the Panthera genus that includes lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars.

Robert Eklund is one individual dedicated to preserving and documenting cat behavior, especially that of cats in the wild. He has recordings of several wild cats purring on his Robert Eklund Wildlife website, including those of a cheetah and a serval.

Despite all of the research done by scientists and behaviorists, no one really knows why cats purr. Many scientists assume that they purr for certain reasons, such as to communicate happiness with each other, to indicate pain and to let others know that they aren't a threat.

It's generally accepted that cats create the purring noise through a series of vibrations in their throat, although there is no actual organ that has been singled out as the "thing that makes cats purr."

One thing you can assume is that feline friends seem to purr a lot when they get what they need from their caregivers. They will usually purr when brushed, when held and petted them and even at the sight of a tuna can. No matter what the reason, a purr in most situations lets you know that your cat is happy, and that everything is all right in her little corner of the world.

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