Why do cats purr?

Posted on 04. Mar, 2010 by Iwind in Nature

The most accepted and understood reason is that cats purr when they are happy, relaxing and overall enjoy the situation they are in. That’s why cats often purr when being petted or when eating. However, there are also many other reasons why cats purr that most people do not think about. One of the most important once is reassurance for kittens. Kittens are not able to see when they are very young and their mother will purr to let her babies know they are safe and are being taken care of.

Female cats are known to purr when giving birth, if this is cause of the pain they are experienced or just to relax themselves is not certain. Cats do sometimes purr when they are injured, in pain or dying, so purring is not always a sign that the cat is feeling well. Some people claim that cats also purr to reassure humans, sitting close when their owner is upset and purr. Other people think cats sometimes purr around humans to indicate that they are hungry and want food.

Purring involves activation of nerves within their voice box, and these nerve signals cause vibration of the vocal cords. Air is pushed in and out of the vibrating cords and thus creating the musical purr. Veterinarian Neils C. Pederson, author of Feline Husbandry, believes that purring is initiated from within the central nervous system and is a voluntary act, meaning that a cat only purr when it wants to.

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