Why and how cats purr: the phenomenon of cat purring

One of the features of cats for which we love them so much is the ability to make a quiet guttural bubbling sound called a purr.
They purr when they feel good, happy and comfortable; they purr as a sign of support in moments of intimacy with a person. But sometimes a cat's purring can mean stress, fear, nervousness, or even illness. Let's figure out why cats purr and wring their paws, when purring is a sign of joy, and when the owner should be wary and take the pet to a specialist.

For what reasons does a cat purr?

When answering why cats purr, many owners confidently say that the reason lies in positive emotions. This answer is correct, but incomplete. Sometimes purring is also triggered by negative emotions. You can only understand your pet's desires over time by remembering the difference in volume, duration and frequency of sounds.

Positive emotions

The ability to make a vibrating sound appears in kittens on the 2nd day after birth.

This is necessary to communicate with the mother. The purring of the babies indicates their satiety and good health, and the sounds emanating from the mother cat confirm the safety of her offspring.

In the wild, light vibrations are not detected by other predators, but are clearly perceptible to parents located at a long distance. This helps protect the litter until it becomes independent.

Among the positive emotions that awaken purring are:

• greeting the owner or communicating with other animals;
• going to bed before bed;
• gratitude for the treat or affection received;
• attracting the opposite sex;
• trying to beg for something tasty;
• interest in some object (delicious food) or object (a bird outside the window).

According to one version, cats purr to prevent muscle diseases that threaten them due to too much sleep. Vibrations spreading throughout the body have a positive effect on ligaments, bones and muscles, helping to reduce the load on the musculoskeletal system.

Negative emotions

Purring also occurs when a furry pet is under stress. The vibrations help him stabilize his blood pressure and bring his pulse back to normal.

Sometimes the reason lies in illness. Purring is a physiological pain reliever. It speeds up metabolism and promotes rapid regeneration. Try to observe how a cat purrs after sterilization: the frequency and volume of the sound will differ from usual until the end of rehabilitation.

One of the possible complications of coronavirus infection is feline infectious peritonitis. Its alternative name is “purring disease.” Due to damage to the blood vessels, some of the fluid enters the peritoneum and lungs, causing peritonitis. The bloating that appears is accompanied by a characteristic purring sound.

Also, mustachioed pets purr when their owner strokes them incorrectly or when a more formidable opponent tries to scare them. In the second case, they demonstrate their defenselessness, trying to avoid a possible fight.

The benefits of purring

There is a theory that purring can cause cats to produce a hormone that helps strengthen and grow bone tissue. Since most of the time the animal is passive, it needs restoration of the musculoskeletal system.

Cat purrs calm and relax people, helping relieve stress and lower blood pressure. The sound of purring is at a frequency of 20 to 44 Hz. It is capable of starting healing processes in humans, similar to ultrasound treatment.

One theory says that cats are able to treat gastritis, colitis and other gastrointestinal diseases in their owners with their purring.

How the purring mechanism is started

Scientists do not fully understand how cats purr. The vocal cords are responsible for the sound, but vibration is explained by more interesting reasons.

Physiological features

The most popular theory to explain how cats purr is the one that focuses on the hyoid bones. In domestic animals they take the shape of a triangle, and in wild animals they take the shape of a rectangle. Because of this, wild feline predators are rarely found purring.

Everything is easier with sound. It passes through the animal's nose and mouth. The heart and lungs at this moment cannot be listened to.

What is known for certain about vibrations is that they appear based on a signal from the brain. When receiving positive and negative emotions, it sends neurons to the responsible organ. This helps to guess what cats purr about.

Unproven facts

When discussing how cats purr from a physiological point of view, we take as a basis the muscles located behind the vocal cords. Their contraction leads to vibration of the hyoid bones, spreading throughout the body. This theory is the most popular, but there are several others. They explain that purring occurs through:

1. Lungs

   . A purring pet is the result of the work of the diaphragmatic and intercostal muscles. It is assumed that during the breathing process they create sound vibrations of different amplitudes. This is the least popular theory, since the intensity of the purring does not change with inhalation and exhalation.

2. False ligaments

   . They are located directly above the vocal cords and look like a bunch of elastic membranes. According to this theory, sound vibrations appear due to changes in pressure in the circulating bloodstream. This causes the chest to vibrate and transmit sound to the sinuses.

The hyoid bone theory is more convincing. This is confirmed by the absence of purring in cats with laryngeal paralysis.

Cat purring - real sound therapy

We have already mentioned that cats often lie down on the owner’s sore spot and begin to purr. An animal can, for example, lie on the owner’s legs if they are “whining” about the weather. Or even lie on your head when the owner is tormented by a migraine. What does this mean, can pets really heal? It turns out that the purring of cats is therapeutic sound therapy.

Photo: Scottish Fold kitten | Dreamstime.com

A measured, quiet sound calms frayed nerves no worse than the sound of rain or the sound of a babbling stream. Felinologists believe that cats, with the help of special rumbling sounds, can treat the following ailments:

• Bone fractures, joint and muscle pain;
• Nervous disorders (depression, stress);
• Reduced immunity;
• Arterial hypertension;
• Diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
• Various inflammatory processes;
• Diseases of the stomach and/or intestines;
• Respiratory ailments.

Even though the sounds of rumbling help relieve, for example, joint pain or lower blood pressure, such sound therapy cannot be considered a full-fledged treatment; you will still need the help of a doctor. However, a cat's purring fights well against the same fatigue and nervousness.

Which other member of the cat family can purr?

Once you understand how cats purr, it is not so difficult to understand which of their wild relatives is capable of emitting similar sound vibrations. Large cats differ not only in the shape of the hyoid bone, but also in the elasticity of the ligaments. Only the group of small cats has the most flexibility: cheetahs, ocelots and lynxes; they can make purring sounds.

Despite physiology, there are exceptions. Purring large predators include snow leopards, pumas, clouded leopards and leopards. Given the structure of the larynx, their ability is a real mystery.

Why does he purr when you pet a cat?

Don't be surprised if you pet your cat for a long time and he will start purring. This is connected precisely with receiving positive emotions. The animal likes such stroking, it calms it down. Accordingly, the cat makes a characteristic sound. Sometimes pets can come to their owners, lie down next to them and purr for no apparent reason, even if you don’t pet them. This is connected precisely with the desire to improve health.

Often cats lie down near the area that is sore. Perhaps these are chronic diseases. It is at such places that cats lie down, lean against them and purr. In this way they try to cure their owner. A cat may purr for the simple reason that it is hungry or wants to go for a walk. Accordingly, in this case, the nature of the purring will be different.

Petting the cat

Cat-human interaction

The way a cat purrs depends on the person. A purring pet can trample its paws on its owner, lie down on top or next to it. All these actions have their explanation.

Showing affection

If you stroke your mustachioed pet, he will soon begin to purr. This means that he enjoys touch and communication with a person. When stroking against the grain or by a stranger, you can see the opposite effect. The animal will be angry or frightened and will hasten to leave with a threatening hiss.

Foot trampling

The most popular interpretation of trampling is the “milk step”. Kittens make similar movements on their mother's chest, stimulating the faster production of milk. Fingering with paws is also associated with:

• showing gratitude and demonstrating trust in a person;
• unrealized sexual instinct in castrated animals;
• treating the owner or relieving one’s own stress;
• preparing a comfortable place to sleep.

If your pet releases its claws when trampling, do not scold it. He does not control this action, so pet him and place a thick blanket or pillow under his paws.

Lying on or next to a person

Lying nearby is the highest form of trust and love. The animal feels safe with its two-legged owner. If a person is unwell, a furry pet can lie on top, sending its healing vibrations to the sore spot.

Timbre of purring

Purring can vary in intensity and timbre. By the volume of a cat's purring, one can understand and determine the emotional mood of a mustachioed pet.

Scientists distinguish several types of purring:

• A dissatisfied loud purr signals pain.

• If a cat is nervous, its quiet rumbling gradually intensifies and turns into a heart-rending meow. When experiencing stress and discomfort, the cat wags its tail, purrs and bites at the same time.

• With loud rumbling sounds, a nursing cat makes it clear to humans or other animals not to approach its offspring.

• A monotonous, calm, loud purring is a sign that the cat is feeling good and comfortable.

• Gradually subsiding rumbling means that the cat is gradually losing interest in what is happening. If the cat has stopped purring, she has received a portion of affection, a treat, is in a calm state or begins to fall asleep.

Important! The way cats purr is completely independent of breed, genetic, and hereditary factors. The volume, timbre, and tonality of the sounds produced are individual for each animal and depend only on external factors and the mood of the mustachioed pet.

A quiet, gentle purring indicates that the cat is in an excellent mood and is experiencing positive emotions. A quiet, calm purring, which may be accompanied by light biting, can be heard if you caress a cat or pick it up. The pet is satisfied and thanks you with such sounds.

If a cat purrs quite loudly, this may mean that the animal is alarmed or worried about something. It is possible that the cat is in pain or is experiencing discomfort.

Why don't some cats purr?

Non-purring breeds include Ragdolls and Devon Rex, as well as overly phlegmatic pets. If a healthy cat does not purr, like its relatives, then everything is fine with it. This feature is inherited.

If lethargy, rapid heartbeat, dry nose or shortness of breath appear, the animal should be seen by a doctor. Damage to the “rumbling” occurs in diseases of the respiratory system.

Also, the reason for the lack of purring can be stress or a bad mood of the owner. Relaxing in the arms of a tense person is not so easy.

Specifics of sounds made by cats

A cat purrs when it feels pleasure and more.
Many owners of furry pets have probably wondered why cats purr. In order to communicate with people or other animals, cats use various types of communication. Rumbling is one of them. A pet can show its mood through various gestures, the position and vibration of its tail, and also by making sounds.

Benefits of “cat songs”

“Cat songs” are useful not only for their authors, but also for listeners. They are helping:

• normalize the emotional state, which is especially useful for owners with nervous disorders;
• strengthen bone tissue and reduce pain;
• improve blood circulation in the brain;
• lower blood pressure or pulse that is too high;
• enhance the regeneration of tissues of the gastrointestinal tract;
• reduce the likelihood of stroke and heart attack.

People who live with furry pets live 4.5 years longer than those who do not have pets. There is also a relationship with allergen resistance. Children who live with a mustachioed pet from birth are less susceptible to respiratory diseases and rarely suffer from asthma.

What you didn't know about purring

• Are cats afraid of water? But the sound of its flow fascinates them! The purring of a cat can be stopped by the sound of flowing water.
• Cats are good teachers. It turns out that there was a case when a small dog made sounds similar to purring. It turned out that the puppy was raised and lived in a cat family.
• The ability to purr is given to cats from birth. They do it well from the first days of life.
• The ability to purr is used between the tails for communication. This is how they show each other friendliness or show aggression. And the difference lies in timbre, rhythm, intonation and vibration volume.
• There is “purring therapy” which was developed by British specialists. This therapy is aimed at pain relief. Scientists have proven that this is exactly the effect that prolonged purring has on the human body.
• The calming “songs” of cats trigger special biochemical reactions in the human body and have a relaxing effect on us. They can lull you to sleep, relieve nervous tension and give you a feeling of euphoria.
• With the help of purring, cats can establish emotional contact with people and even take on other people’s pain...

Interesting facts about rumbling

• Cats never meow when communicating with each other; they either purr or hiss;
• If you need your cat to stop purring, just turn on the water. The sound of flowing water will silence the animal.
• Kittens that do not yet have hearing purr while eating, expressing their pleasure;
• A cat's purring during sleep replaces its physical activity;
• Purring before bed helps both the cat and its owner fall asleep, as it drowns out the sounds of breathing and heartbeat.

Rumbling has many emotional connotations. Still, more often than not, pets purr with pleasure. When a cat is fed, caressed and healthy, it will gratefully please its owner with a loud purr.

The most purring breeds

Until now, no pattern has been identified that explains the desire of cats to purr. Owners are inclined to the theory of sociability - the more sociable the animal, the more talkative it is. This means that the cat that purrs is one that wants to spend time with its owner. Pedigree and street cats have equal chances here.

As for the volume level, its maximum is 20 decibels, which is quite comfortable for human hearing. For comparison, street noise is 2.5 times louder.

This is interesting! The mongrel cat Smokey from England became famous for her outstanding purring - she purred 68 dB, was included in the Guinness Directory, and at the same time forced her owner to move away from her neighbors.