Why Do Cat’s Purr?

Why Do Cats Purr?

Why do cat’s purr? Purring is a favourite sound of our beloved felines. A kitten merely days old can purr to its mother, letting them know that they’re alright. Or even where they are (“Here I am Mom! I’m inside the laundry basket!”). To make purring even more adorable, a mother will purr to help soothe its beloved kittens, kind of a lullaby.

But despite it being a well-known sound cats make it is still very much a mystery to us humans. Like humans, all cats are different. So, the reasons they purr, as well as how much they purr, will vary.

We do know that some of the reasons a cat will purr include:

• They are happy. This is the most well-known belief as to why a cat will purr. They’re relaxed, content. On cloud nine basically. This may happen when lying on us humans, of course.
• Self-soothe. When a cat is hurt, or feeling pain, it may purr as a method to make themselves feel better. They might purr after being startled or exploring a less familiar place. There are even records of cats purring as they are euthanized.
• Beyond self-soothing, purring is believed to be a means by which a cat may help itself to heal. The vibrations caused from purring may help to heal bones, wounds, tissue, and even decrease swelling. This has even been considered a reason why cats are able to endure higher falls, and better recover from surgery than some other pets.
• Research has found that there is a difference in the purring when a cat is hungry compared to when it is not. When hungry, their purrs may carry a sound similar to a baby’s cry. This might even be remnant of when they were kittens, responding to their moms at feeding times.

Observe your Cat

See if you can observe the differences in your furbies’ purrs and the why’s. What’s going on around them? What have they been doing most recently? And of course, is it feeding time? At the end of the day there is no sound quite as relaxing as a cat’s purr.