How and why your cat purrs
(and why cats and kittens meow)

We love to hear our cats purr. Some have a loud, roaring purr engine. Others are more subtle. And some don’t seem to purr at all! Have you ever wondered just how your cat purrs and why they do?

How do cats purr?

Perhaps surprising, but there is no special apparatus in a cat’s body to enable them to purr…

According to science, “purring results from the intermittent activation of intrinsic laryngeal muscles as manifest by a very regular, stereotyped pattern of EMG bursts occurring 20–30 times per second.”

What does this mean? Well, purring involves the movement of the larynx (voice box) muscles, at between 20 to 30 times per second, combined with diaphragm (the muscle at the base of the chest cavity) movement. As the cat breathes, air touches the vibrating muscles, producing a purr.

Every cat has a unique purr. Some are high-pitched and others emit a low rumble. Some purrs are so faint you have to be extremely close to your cat to hear it while others have an extraordinary loud engine humming.

Cat purrs Kitten meows Cat meows Kitten purr
Can you hear cat purrs?

Why do cats purr?

Cats purr when they are content. Your cat loves you. Curled up beside you, while you stroke them, it is not surprising that they are happy. Like a dog’s wagging tail or a human smile, however, purring is not always a sign of happiness. Instead, we can think of it as an emotional arousal.

Cats may also purr in times of pain or distress. Indeed, purring has been observed as cats are giving birth and even when they are dying. Purring may be a mechanism that helps cats rest and repair.

Purring may be a feline self-comforting behaviour. It is first expressed when kittens are only a few days old, perhaps signalling their presence to the mother cat or to encourage her to feed them. This ability continues into their adult lives.

Signs that your cat is a flirt!

The purr and meow combo

When cats want our attention, they use a special type of purr, especially when they wish to be fed. My cats also do it when they greet me. This purr is known as a ‘solicitation purr’ and involves a combination of the purr and meow. Cat owners respond to this sound in a similar way that parents react to the cry of their baby.

Purrs are wonderful for owners to hear. Is your cat purring now?

How and why cats purr and cats meow

Why cats meow

Kittens meow to attract the attention of their mother. This ensures they get fed and retrieved if they are left out of the nest. Kittens who are very vocal and meow a lot tend to become cats who are also very vocal.

Certain breeds of cats may be more vocal than others. Siamese, for instance, are known for their vocal abilities. A cat meow can be rather annoying when done loudly or excessively! Especially at night!

When cats reach more mature ages, they tend to meow more to humans than to one another. Their vocalisations to one another tend to be more of the aggressive, fighting kind – more of a yowl ‘meowl’ than a sweet cat meow!

Cats meow to us to get our attention. It makes us feed them. It makes us pat them.

Why does my cat meow all the time?

Does your cat meow a lot?

References
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0034568772900643
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982209011683

About the author:
Dr Jo Righetti is a cat behavourist, helping people understand cat and the human-feline relationship. Jo lives with 3 cats who purr a lot!

Read more about cats

Cat scratching?
Why cats wag their tails

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