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One of the most characteristic, adorable and defining features of the cat is its ability to purr. This exclusive sound is usually associated with a feeling of welfare. It comforts us, makes us think that our cat is happy and he shows us his affection.
Therefore, when we live with a cat that does not purr, doubts assail us: is our cat happy? Or, on the contrary, do you suffer from any disease? What are we doing wrong so that you do not devote your purring? Definitely, Why does not my cat purr? In this article we explain it to you. Keep reading!
The purring sound of our cats is very special, however, do you know how it is produced? There are many theories in this regard that try to give an accurate answer. Some follow that it originates in the thorax, when the blood is compressed when passing through the diaphragmatic hiatus and that the air-filled bronchi amplify the vibration. However, a study in the Journal of Zoology [1] suggests that purring is a laryngeal modulation driven by the respiratory flow.
The purr begins at two days of life of the kitten as another form of communication with her mother, while breastfeeding takes place. The little ones suck while purr and “knead” with its front legs, which stimulates the flow of milk and serves the mother to know that everyone is feeding correctly. This is why many adult cats knead, drool or suck our clothes while they purr. Petting our cat usually activates this sound, although this is not always the case.
Why do cats purr? In addition to indicating wellness and relaxation, so much that they are even able to purr when they sleep, the cat can use the purr when it is in a situation of stress or illness, for example, when he is admitted to a veterinary clinic. In this case, the purr could be used to comfort yourself.
During purring, cats can display different modalities: higher or lower intensity, more or less air, different speeds or different meanings, since they can also use it as a request. Within cats, not only cats purr, but also wild cats (Felis silvestris). But then, Why does not your cat purr?
As we have seen, purring is an important part of our cat’s communication, which is why a cat that does not emit this characteristic sound becomes an unknown and a concern for its human, who usually thinks that his cat is not happy or have some disease But is that true?
We answer the question of why a cat does not purr or relax or sleep while we pet it. We can divide these cats into three groups:
We will see below other forms of cat communication that in some cats can replace the purr:
El meow It is another form of communication typical of cats. They use it in multiple situations and with very different meanings. Thus, the cat that does not purr can be made to understand perfectly through meows. Among its most relevant meanings are the following:
Sometimes we wonder why our cat does not purr and we do not realize that he is communicating with us in his own way. In addition to the meows, some cats tell us a lot by bites. The basic meanings will be the following:
As we see, all these mordicos tell us something, without purring and, although it is biting, have nothing to do with aggressiveness. If our cat attacked us with violent bites we should immediately go to a feline behavior professional, an ethologist.
As we have seen, that our cat does not produce the relaxing sound of purring does not mean that it is not communicating with us, much less implies that it is an unhappy animal. After the meow and the bite, we point out, finally, the “refrote”, a clear sample of well-being and affection that not all cats accompany purring.
Our cat will rub against our body, against the part that has more comfortable access, such as the face or legs. It will even jump and flip to cover a larger contact area. If we look, we will see that he always rubs us with the same parts of his body, especially the face. It is not accidental, rub the parts that they release endorphins and, at the same time, they mark us with their smell.
If you want to read more articles similar to Why does not my cat purr?, we recommend that you enter in our Curiosities section of the animal world.
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