Why do cats purr: the solution to the mystery of furry pets

Mechanism of sound occurrence

Why are the mechanics of a cat's purr still so poorly understood? The fact is that it is possible to determine for certain what and how cats purr only by dissection. But, of course, the dead don’t sing any “songs.” And modern diagnostic methods do not allow us to determine the origin of sounds.

It is known that there is no special organ for chirping sounds. This process definitely involves the vocal cords, the lungs, since “mur” sounds rhythmically, on inhalation and exhalation, and, possibly, the diaphragmatic and intercostal muscles. And - absolutely - the brain.

A cat's purring is a complex process that involves the lungs, muscles and brain.

Most researchers believe that cats purr through their throats. The vocal cords contract and the sound passing through them vibrates with each inhalation and exhalation. But what makes a cat do this? Question for neurophysiology. The “motor” is started by a mechanism in the brain.

Interesting fact: the comparison of a purring cat with a tractor is not accidental. At idle the car produces the same 15–150 Hz. Owners note that female cats purr louder than male cats.

There are alternative theories of the origin of uterine sounds:

• This is the sound of blood moving through the inferior vena cava, which carries venous blood to the heart.
• This is what the hyoid bones do.
• There are false vocal cords that are responsible only for these sounds.
• It was previously believed that vibrating sounds originated from the abdomen. But anyone who has petted a cat knows that this is not the case.

For now, the neurophysiological theory prevails: the need to vocalize breathing arises in the brain, and it already gives the command to the vocal cords. We hope that scientists will soon test the hypothesis and the age-old mystery will be revealed. In the meantime, let's figure out what causes the cat's brain to signal to the ligaments.

Most often, cats purr in a relaxed state, for example, on the owner's lap.

Anatomy

Everyone knows how and why cats meow. But why do they purr? How can a pet make such sounds without opening its mouth? Why do cats purr when you pet them? Experts say that this is due to the physiological characteristics of the cat’s body.

First version

The cat's brain continuously sends signals to the muscles of the vocal cords. Under the influence of electrical impulses, muscle contraction occurs, which causes vibration. If the animal’s mouth is slightly open at this time, it meows, and if it is closed, it emits a purr. There are unusually shaped bones under a cat's tongue. When the vocal cords vibrate, the sound resonates in this apparatus, and we hear a purr. Because of this feature, the hyoid bones are called false vocal cords.

Second version

The next possible cause of purring: it is caused by the movement of air in the lungs. However, this version does not yet have a scientific basis. It has only been proven that an animal can make such a sound both when it inhales and when it exhales. How loud and intense the purring is does not depend in any way on the direction of the air currents.

Third version

Cats can cause the blood that circulates in the vessels of the throat and chest to vibrate. These vibrations resonate in the intracranial sinuses, after which they become sound waves.

Only pets, as well as their small relatives living in the wild, can make such a sound. The thin bones of large predators are covered with cartilage, which prevents them from purring.

What does a cat's purring mean?

Previously, it was believed that this is how animals communicate with each other and humans when they are stroked. However, “mur-mur-mur” is not only a means of communication and a way to express pleasure.

Method of communication

Kittens begin to purr already in the first days after birth. This is how they help mom find herself and feed her. With a person, everything works about the same. Animals wake people up, butt and purr loudly in the morning, especially if they spend the night in another room. “Good morning, master! It’s time to get up and feed me.” If your pet loudly “sings songs” in the kitchen (or where you usually feed your pet) and curls under your feet, meowing periodically, this is a direct hint of a desire to snack.

Surely you have noticed more than once that pets greet you stormily from work. At this moment, you can also hear a joyful “mrrr”.

Purring, the cat greets its human.

In relation to relatives, everything works exactly the same: a quiet sound indicates location. He warns others about a benevolent and good-natured attitude. This is also how animals encourage each other. Some scientists have noticed that wounded cats lie down next to each other.

Expression of pleasure

A satisfied cat - what could be more pleasant for the owner? Pets can actually express pleasure and even gratitude from tasty food, a secluded bed and warmth. Many pets love affection, and with the help of purring they express pleasure from stroking and scratching.

In combination with paw stomping, purring indicates peace and love. This means that your pet completely trusts you, is happy and feels as calm as she does next to her mother. After all, kittens’ little paws make “massage” movements to get more milk. Apparently, the memory remains with the animal forever, and pops up in moments of good mood. And besides, in this way the cat “marks” the owner.

Connection with nutrition

Remember that a kitten purrs so that the cat notices and feeds it? Echoes of this mechanism can be seen in the fact that many animals rumble when they eat. Perhaps from pleasure. Especially if it is SUPERPET - a species-typical food for cats and dogs according to the BARF system, developed by veterinarians and nutritionists. It replicates the diet of predators in nature: 98% consists of raw meat without heat treatment, flavor enhancers and preservatives. Biologically appropriate nutrition normalizes digestion, prevents urolithiasis, kidney disease and other ailments. And how delicious it is! Pets can only purr with pleasure.

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.

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Stress and pain

Cats begin to make purring sounds in different situations. It can be very stressful - right after having to run away from the dog. Or weak - when examining a new room. By purring, pets calm not only humans, but also themselves. Rhythmic sounds are a great way to relax.

There is a hypothesis that purring animals heal themselves. Vibration frequency from 20 to 150 Hz helps restore tissue, including bone, grow muscles, repair tendons and ease breathing. In their natural environment, animals have to sit in ambush for a long time when hunting and jump quickly, so it is important to maintain bone tissue in order.

Felines often purr when they fall asleep. It is possible that a large amount of sleep is also associated with the restoration of the body - up to 20 hours a day.

Loud purring for no apparent reason can be a signal to the owner that the cat is in pain. Especially if she sits with her eyes closed and her mustache drooping. Be careful: these animals endure pain until the last moment and hide their symptoms.

If a cat purrs in a tense position without closing its eyes, it is unlikely that it is feeling well at that moment.

During childbirth, cats also purr, helping themselves to overcome pain. Unfortunately, even before death, many of them make such sounds. Purring is very connected with physiological processes: appearing in the first days of life, it remains with the cat until the very last moments.

It is important to note that all cats are different, and they also vocalize their emotions differently. Some of them do not purr at all, while others trill constantly. And all these are variants of the norm. You can understand what your pet wants at the moment by her body language. A relaxed posture indicates pleasure, a tense one indicates that she wants something from you. An excited purr near a bowl is very different from what you hear when a furry dog ​​curls up next to you.

When she gets what she wants, the purring stops. Think about the situations in which this happens and what the animal wants to tell you. Develop your powers of observation and you will be able to better understand your four-legged companion.

Purring mechanism - how do cats purr?

For a very long time, many zoological scientists struggled with the mystery of the organ responsible for a cat’s purring.

The rumbling is associated not so much with the internal organs of the cat, but with its brain activity.

For many years, research on animals led to nothing, until one of the scientists put forward a hypothesis according to which rumbling is associated not so much with the internal organs of a cat, but with its brain activity. And indeed, the animal’s brain sends certain impulses to the body, as a result of which this enchanting sound is heard.

Where does the sound come from?

The cat's hyoid bones interact with the vocal cords to produce a purr.

But the question still remained open, which organs are responsible for the physical transmission of sound in space.

The answer was found just a few decades ago - the thin hyoid bones of a cat interact with the contracting vocal cords as a result of a signal received from the brain. It is this interaction that creates such amazing sounds that the animal can use at its discretion.

Do big cats purr?

We have said more than once that the anatomy of a domestic cat is no different from the structure of a wild one. From a structural point of view, the gastrointestinal tract has not changed over millennia of evolution. What about neurophysiology and psychology?

Small cats - caracals, lynxes, cheetahs - purr like our domesticated pets. Although, of course, more often they hiss. Leopards, lions, panthers and tigers do not purr in the usual sense - they rather roar and make bass sounds. Their purr is more like a roar. But predators definitely use these techniques to communicate, when consuming food and expressing pleasure. There are videos online of cheetahs, tigers and pumas purring.

Interesting Facts

Cats are mysterious creatures; many of their secrets still remain beyond understanding. Of interest are the following features that characterize the style of communication of animals using purring:

• To communicate with relatives and to negotiate with their owners, cats emit sounds of various frequencies;
• if an animal hears the sound of pouring water, it stops purring;
• Even cats that are deaf from birth can purr;
• You cannot listen to the heartbeat of a purring animal.

Cats have long been considered true healers. According to observations, their purring has a beneficial effect on human health:

1. Vibration with a frequency of 27-44 Hz strengthens bones.
2. Regular communication with animals improves the condition of people suffering from nervous disorders.
3. Listening to your cat can strengthen your immune system and gain resistance to various diseases.
4. Rumbling normalizes cerebral blood circulation in people and relieves tachycardia.
5. People trying to get rid of drug or alcohol addiction are recommended to get cats to make it easier to endure the rehabilitation period.
6. Pets that love to purr treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in their owners.
7. If an animal not only makes vibrating sounds, but also kneads the owner’s body with its paws, such actions can be regarded as a full-fledged relaxing massage session.
8. It has been proven that children who live in the same house with furry pets from birth are less likely to suffer from asthma, because they develop immunity to allergens in the form of animal hair, which inevitably enters the respiratory tract.

According to statistics, people who have pets extend their life by 2.5-3 years. This is another great reason to love cats.

The purring of cats is not only a powerful way to combat stress, but also a means of communication between animals and their relatives and with humans. By listening to your pet, you can understand what he wants and what feelings he experiences.

Why your cat doesn't purr and what to do about it

Is it possible to make a cat purr? No, especially if she is not naturally inclined to do this. And that's okay: not everyone feels the need to express emotions by purring. There are even breeds that are not inclined to turn on their “engines” - Ragdolls and Devon Rex. Here, again, there are exceptions.

Getting a purr to do anything is very difficult in general, and with purring and other ways of expressing emotions it is even more difficult. This partly explains the impossibility of accurately diagnosing the mechanics of the appearance of iridescent sounds in predators. Nobody wants to purr in an MRI machine or during an ultrasound.

Sometimes this “insensitivity” is related to previous negative experiences. If the cat has been with bad owners or on the street, it may simply be afraid to show emotions by purring. You can try to help your cat make the desired sounds. Play with her, caress her, introduce treats into her diet (always natural) and demonstrate by your behavior that you are a safe person.

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

The benefits of a cat's purring for humans

Our smaller furry brothers are real doctors. There is even feline therapy - treatment by communicating with cats. Pet owners cope better with stress, are less likely to become depressed, are more sociable and, in general, are healthier than people without pets. Why is purring useful?

Cats are furry physiotherapists. At a frequency of 25-50 Hz, bone tissue responds to purring, and at 100 Hz, skin and soft tissues respond. It's not as crazy as it may seem: the body's tissues respond to pressure by becoming stronger. Scientists even propose using this property of vibration for astronauts so that their bones do not lose their density in zero gravity.

A purring cat pleases the human heart. This means that having a pet in the home reduces the likelihood of having a stroke by a third. “Pur-mur-mur” is a kind of white noise, to which the owner calms down and falls asleep more easily.

Thus, not all purring kittens and cats are happy with their situation. A purring pet can feel both joy and pain. This amazing means of communication allows animals to communicate with each other and get what they want from humans. If a cat likes food or, conversely, is hungry, it will purr. This is done by domestic purrs, cheetahs, and pumas. But if your pet does not want to purr, this is also not a problem, and you can do nothing about it.

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.