When kitty gets his belly rubbed he starts to purr. But why does he do this? Where does it come from? What is purring? Why do cats purr ?
There is no definitive answer why cats purr. It’s fair to say that cat’s purr when they are happy usually when they are being stroked or snuggled, sometimes even when they eat. It is also known for cats to purr when they are giving birth injured or before they sadly die.
There are many theories as to why cats purr. Some believe that purring is a signal a cat gives off when he is vulnerable and showing no physical threat to other animals. This would make sense with all the points we noted above for example when eating, sleeping and giving birth.
Some believe that purring is a mother’s way to quietly communicate with its kittens in time for danger. Others believe that purring is a cat’s way to ‘persuade’ by giving a signal of friendship and charm off to either another cat of a predator. An example of this is when you take your cat to the groomers. He senses danger so gives off a signal of friendship to charm the groomer.
How do cats purr ?
Cats have no unique anatomical features that produce the sound of purring. Scientific studies show that cats produce the purring noise by using the muscles in the larynx to cause vibrations during breathing. This is what causes the unique purring sound that kitty produces when he gets snuggled. The sounds of purring vary from cat to cat and species to species. It’s not only found in domestic cats but also wild cats like leopards and cheetahs too!
Did you know? It is claimed that bears, badgers and rabbits all purr too!