Cat Purring: Do you know the intriguing reasons behind it?

According to a study conducted on the weekly activities of cats in the UK in 2015, 90% of participants corroborate that purring is the most common activity of their cats.

While animal enthusiasts have discovered that most cats can purr, there are a few exceptions from the Patherinae subfamily (lions, tigers, leopards) that cannot purr — they rather roar.

You’re sitting on your chair doing research for a homework you’re assigned. You hear your cat purring from across the room which makes you content that she’s happy, but what if she’s not? “People assume they’re happy when they’re purring. That’s just not always the case “, Marjan Debevere, a cat shelter photographer and a student of feline psychology told BBC.

Contradictory to the traditionally accepted belief, a cat’s purr may not always mean they’re happy. Believe science, not the myths!

Before we jump into the reasons, let’s first discover how they do it.

So how do cats purr anyway?

The first question that comes to our mind when we hear or see cats purr is how they do it?

The purr starts as a signal from the cat’s brain to the muscles in its voice box which causes it to vibrate. “These muscles then act as a valve by opening and closing the glottis which allows air to flow past the cat’s voice box”, explains Cristen Conger of BrainStuff-Howstuffworks.

While no one knows for sure why our furry fellows make those vibrational frequencies, learning these reasons could help you two communicate better. Here are some reasons why a cat’s purr body “vibrates” based upon observations.

Cats are communication masters

Cats are vocal creatures. They use purring, like growls and meows, hisses, and chatters as a means to communicate. Cats also purr when they need something. This demand-associated purr is commonly known as a “solicitation purr”. The frequency of solicitation purr may be higher than the normal purrs of your kitty and may be combined with a little “meow”. For instance, your cat may purr beside you when it’s mealtime or when she’s injured.

Purr therapy — a healing mechanism

Throughout history, cats were regarded as healing goddesses. The Egyptians believed cats to be spiritual creatures, giving life and health to whoever housed them. Well, we can’t blame them for modern science has proved that purring helps cats heal faster. The low-frequency rumbles cause pressure within their body that promotes bone and tissue regeneration as well as eases pain. But wait that’s not all.

Cat purring can also prove beneficial for humans. A study shows that cat owners are less likely to be diagnosed with Cardiovascular diseases than people who do not own a cat. In fact, WBS devices use vibration frequencies such as that of cats purr (25–100Hz) to promote bone healing and muscle functions. Gary Weitzmann, CEO of San Diego Humane Society notes:

“Purr at a frequency of 25–100Hz corresponds with established healing frequencies in therapeutic medicine for humans”.

To purr or not to purr- Why some cats don’t purr?

Why is it that some cats purr while others don’t seem to purr at all? Do you need to worry or worse, take her to the vet if she’s not purring? Well, fear no more.

It is completely normal for a cat, especially an adopted Feral cat to purr less or even not purr at all. Theories suggest mommy Feral discourage their kittens from purring in order to avoid being caught by predators.

There are some other reasons as well why cats may not purr. If your cat is not purring it probably tells she may have other means of communicating or she has laryngeal paralysis that stops her from making those soft rumbles.

What to do when your cat purrs?

While there are various reasons a cat may purr, you can only determine why a particular cat is purring by keeping in mind the situation (maybe its mealtime or she’s injured) and the frequency of the purrs. Tony Buffington, a cat expert and veterinarian at Ohio State University told WIRED:

“ If you want to know why your particular favorite feline is purring, pay attention to what prompted the purring and what it leads to”