Why and how do cats purr?
No one knows for sure why a domestic cat purrs, but many people interpret the sound as one of
contentment. Our understanding of how a domestic cat purrs is becoming more complete; most
scientists agree that the larynx (voice box), laryngeal muscles, and a neural oscillator are
involved.
Kittens learn how to purr when they are a couple of days old. Veterinarians suggest that this
purring tells ‘Mom’ that “I am okay” and that “I am here.” It also indicates a bonding
mechanism between kitten and mother.
As the kitten grows into adulthood, purring continues. Many suggest a cat purrs from
contentment and pleasure. But a cat also purrs when it is injured and in pain. Dr. Elizabeth Von
Muggenthaler has suggested that the purr, with its low frequency vibrations, is a “natural
healing mechanism.” Purring may be linked to the strengthening and repairing of bones, relief of
pain, and wound healing (See Web link to Felid purr: a healing mechanism).
Purring is a unique vocal feature in the domestic cat. However, other species in the Felidae
family also purr: Bobcat, Cheetah, Eurasian Lynx, Puma, and Wild Cat (Complete list in Peters,
2002). Although some big cats like lions exhibit a purr-like sound, studies show that the
Patherinae subfamily: Lion, Leopard, Jaguar, Tiger, Snow Leopard, and Clouded Leopard do not
exhibit true purring (Peters, 2002).”
What makes the purr distinctive from other cat vocalizations is that it is produced during the
entire respiratory cycle (inhaling and exhaling). Other vocalizations such as the “meow” are
limited to the expiration of the breath.
It was once thought that the purr was produced from blood surging through the inferior vena
cava, but as research continues it seems that the intrinsic (internal) laryngeal muscles are the
likely source for the purr. Moreover, there is an absence of purring in a cat with laryngeal
paralysis. The laryngeal muscles are responsible for the opening and closing of the glottis
(space between the vocal chords), which results in a separation of the vocal chords, and thus
the purr sound. Studies have shown, that the movement of the laryngeal muscles is signaled
from a unique “neural oscillator” (Frazer-Sisson, Rice, and Peters, 1991 & Remmers and Gautier,
1972) in the cat’s brain.
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