What makes cat purr sound

A purr. Marjan Debevere says in her experience no two cats purr the same Credit; Marjan Debevere. Marjan Debevere is a cat shelter photographer in London who is currently studying for a degree in feline psychology. She is also the owner of four cats — Clive, Hula, Luigi and Archie — who are something of an Instagram sensation 33,odd followers and counting, Instagram fans. Luigi purrs little, and Archie a lot.

But in recent years more light has been shed on the purr. In the early s we hypothesised that purring has other purposes besides this. Work by Elizabeth von Muggenthaler, Karen Overall, and others has led to a better understanding of the purpose of the purr. Cats will often purr on their own - it's believed it promotes bones and tissue growth Credit: Alamy.

Cats begin purring when they are a few days old, which helps their mothers locate them for feeding time. The more science has delved into the purr, the more it seems to have uncovered.

This is where we address seemingly simple questions… that have very interesting scientific answers. Let us know via Twitter or Facebook. We humans are naturally sensitive to the baby cry, so we respond also to the cry within the purr.

Healing — Experts believe that purring helps cats get better faster. The low frequency purrs cause vibrations within the body that can heal bones and wounds, build and repair tendons, ease breathing and decrease pain and swelling. This could explain why cats are able to endure high falls and have fewer complications after surgeries than dogs. The purr is a feline lullaby that soothes the singer as well as the listener's soul.

Menu Menu. Click here to see more. A study found that cats can conceal a cry within their purr that triggers a nurturing instinct in their owners, similar to the cries of a human baby. According to New Scientist readers, cats will also adapt noises like their meow to elicit a response from their owners.

This means that if a cat were to have a deaf owner, it is likely they would meow less once they learned it did not trigger a response. However, the same cat would probably continue to purr, without changing the frequency of the sound. When cats breathe, they dilate and constrict the glottis, the area around their vocal cords, in a rapid, rhythmic fashion.

As the air vibrates over the laryngeal muscles of their larynx, the purring sound occurs.