In our recent survey 92% of cat owners told us that they view their cat purring as a sign that they are happy or in a positive state of mind. Cats vocalise to communicate with others and express their internal states.
Whilst its true that cats do purr when they are content or happy – there are also other situations when purring might take place. It’s important, for ensuring a good quality of life for our cats to be able to recognize the different meanings for each type of purr.
What is a purr?
Not all of the cat family can purr. This wonderful sound is only found in domestic cats and some wild cats. Purring involves specific anatomical and physiological mechanisms. The sound originates from the rapid contraction and relaxation of the muscles within a cat's larynx (voice box), which causes the vocal cords to separate creating a wonderful sound that is both rhythmic and consistent.
What we now know is that cats purr not only when they're happy and content but also when they're frightened, in pain, or stressed. This varied purpose suggests that purring serves to help them cope with various emotions.
Why do cats purr?
For the most part cats purr as a way to communicate their emotional state whether positive of negative.
What we now know is that cats purr not only when they're happy and content but also when they're frightened, in pain, or stressed. This varied purpose suggests that purring serves to help them cope with various emotions.
What benefits does purring have?
There are a number of other benefits to purring which help in whatever situation that prompted it, including:
Self-calming: because it is sometimes performed by cats experiencing stressful situations, purring is thought to help lower stress and induce a calmer state of mind for the cat.
Social bonding: purring encourages maintenance of positive relationships. For example, The mother cat (queen) purrs during labour, which is thought to try to relieve discomfort and she will purr after her kittens are born enabling the kittens to follow the vibrations she makes towards the teats. Kittens begin purring when they're just a few days old, and this seems to help maintain the connection with the mother cat (queen) that is needed for kitten survival. Cats also purr to maintain significant human relationships too.
Specific meaning conveyed through the different sounds of the purr: the frequency of a cat’s purr can vary, and some cats learn to purr when they’re hungry or want human attention.
Healing properties: Researchers believe that a neural oscillator in the cat's brain sends signals to the laryngeal muscles, causing them to twitch at a rate of 25 to 150 vibrations per second (Hz). This is the range associated with many healing processes. This may be why purring is thought to promote tissue regeneration, and bone growth/fracture healing. Some studies also suggest that exposure to these vibrations can help reduce pain and inflammation, potentially speeding up recovery from injuries (see Muggenthaler, 2001). Other research suggests that people who own cats also have a 40% lower risk of heart attacks than non-cat owners, and blood pressure has been shown to be lowered in owners after interacting with their purring cats. This may be due to the reported calming effect that purring has on owners of cats (Ravenscroft et al., 2021).
““Having the cat sitting next to me purring is always quite calming” ”
How can you recognise the different reasons for Purring?
Paying attention to the situation or context and the cat's body language when its purring can help you interpret the meaning behind their purrs more accurately!
There are various underlying motivations associated with purring in cats. Examples include:
The purr of contentment: this is a deep, steady purr that usually occurs when a cat is relaxed and comfortable and can be seen when they’re being stroked and when resting in a preferred area.
Solicitation purring: a learned behaviour that has been reinforced by the cat owner, is a higher-pitched more urgent sounding purr (often mixed with loud meows) usually associated with begging behaviour, whilst soliciting their human’s attention, or asking for food.
The purr associated with anxiety or distress: if a cat is purring while exhibiting signs of distress (like hiding), the purr might sound more erratic or higher in pitch. It is thought that this is the cat’s attempt at trying to reduce their stress and soothe themselves.
A pain-related purr: a cat in pain may purr quietly and intermittently. The purr might be softer and less rhythmic and sound subdued.
Purrs have different meanings depending on the context and motivation of the cat. Distinguishing between the different sounds (pitch, intensity and frequency) helps owners to understand the underlying emotion being experienced by the cat (Figure from McComb et al., 2009)
So the next time you hear your cat purring, have a look at the context he/she is in (hiding, sitting looking straight at you, resting on your knee) and consider the rest of their body language (tail movement, posture, facial expression) to ensure that you have a full appreciation of whether this is the sound of a happy, sad, stressed, painful or attention-seeking cat, so that you can provide them with what they need from you to ensure good welfare.
EXPERT Article written by:
Professor Nat Waran,
Director of A Good Life for Animals Centre
References:
Bradshaw JW. (2016) Sociality in cats: a comparative review. J Vet Behav. 11:113-124.
Bradshaw J, Casey RA, Brown SL. (2012) The Behaviour of the Domestic Cat. CAB International, Wallingford.
da Silva Garcia, F. A. B., & Martins, D. T. L. F. (2016). Does cat attachment have an effect on human health? A comparison between owners and volunteers. Pet Behaviour Science, 1-12.
McComb, Karen et al. (2009) The cry embedded within the purr. Current Biology, Volume 19, Issue 13.
Peters G. (2002) Purring and similar vocalizations in mammals. Mammal Rev. 32:245-271
Ravenscroft, S. J., Barcelos, A. M., & Mills, D. S. (2021). Cat-human related activities associated with human well-being. Human-Animal Interaction Bulletin 2021.
Elizabeth von Muggenthaler (2001) The felid purr: A healing mechanism? J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 110 (5_Supplement): 2666.