How do cats purr?

Question

The sound is not affected by their breathing

Answer 1

It was once thought that the purr was produced from blood surging through the inferior vena cava, but as research continues it seems that the intrinsic (internal) laryngeal muscles are the likely source for the purr. Moreover, there is an absence of purring in a cat with laryngeal paralysis. The laryngeal muscles are responsible for the opening and closing of the glottis (space between the vocal chords), which results in a separation of the vocal chords, and thus the purr sound. Studies have shown, that the movement of the laryngeal muscles is signaled from a unique “neural oscillator.

Answer 2

The sound is affected by their breathing, if you listen carefully you can tell if they are breathing in or out from their purr.
Scientists have tried to answer this question but are unsure where the purr is produced, or how.
It means "I am not a threat to you", which is why they also purr when they are in pain; in that case it means "I won't attack". The purr actually promotes healing, and has a soothing and calming effect.

Answer 3

Why do cats pur?
Cats pur to indicate a friendly social mood, however this signal can be given when they are also in pain, such as labour or having received an injury where it is a signal of the need of friendship. When you enter a room where a cat is lying asleep on the floor and you greet it with a few friendly words, it may respond by rolling over on its back, stretching out its legs as far as they will go, yawning, exercising its claws and gently twitching the tip of its tail. As it performs these actions, it stares at you, checking your mood. This is a cat’s way of offering you a passively friendly reaction and it is something which is only done to close family inmates. The cat is saying ‘I roll over to show you my belly to demonstrate that I trust you enough to adopt this highly vulnerable posture in your presence.’ A more active cat would rush over to you and start rubbing against you as a form of friendly greeting. However there is another reason why your cat will press against you with the top of its head or the side of its face, then rubs all along its flank and finally may slightly twine its tail around you. After this it looks up and then repeats the process, sometimes several times. If you reach down and stroke him he will increase its rubbing, often pushing the side of its mouth against your hand, or nudging upwards with the top of its head. When done it wanders off, sits down and washes its flank fur. Without you knowing it, your cat has marked you with its scent from their numerous glands. It is important too that the cat to read our scent signals. This is achieved by the sitting down and ‘tasting’ us with its tongue – through the simple process of licking the fur it has just rubbed so carefully against us.

Answer 4

I do not know their anatomically reason but there is just some thing about a cat purring that makes me feel like all is right with the world

Answer 5

IF WE TRY TO PURR LIKE A CAT WE HAVE TO PUT OUR TONGUE AGAINST THE ROOF OF OUR MOUTH TO MAKE A KIND OF PURRING NOISE SO PERHAPS CATS DO THE SAME.

Answer 6

no one is quite sure. the most popular theory is that they have a purring centre in their brains that sends messages to the larnynx. when this message is received, the larynx starts vibrating at about 25 hertz and that causes the purring sound.

Answer 7

They sort of make the sound in their head, it's like with people, people can hum and they can purr, it's just like they can't hum, we can't purr.

Answer 8

they have 2 voice boxes, 1 4 puring and the other for meowing!!! meowwww!!!! the second voice box being able to work with air going both ways i spose

Answer 9

It is a ball of phlegm in their throat that makes a noise as they breathe.

Are you glad you asked now? I hope you stopped when reading everyone else's nicer (but innaccurate) answers!

Answer 10

most times it's because something is soothing them so their throat vibrates which is followed by their voice box vibrating.