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Purring..?

post #1 of 11
10/11/11 at 7:44am
Thread Starter 
I'm kind of curious why cats purr when they do.. I've always assumed its because they're happy (our kitten purrs when he eats and when we pet him, kind of expected that..). But he also purrs when I'm brushing him, and judging from how he tries to get away and grab/bite the brush I don't think he enjoys it that much Unless he thinks its a game and I just don't get it?
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post #2 of 11
10/11/11 at 11:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by G-reg View Post
..But he also purrs when I'm brushing him, and judging from how he tries to get away and grab/bite the brush I don't think he enjoys it that much Unless he thinks its a game and I just don't get it?
Many cats purr when playing. I am assuming your kitten is purring while playing with the brush. But cats also purr when in pain/ill.

Here are some interesting articles for you to look at:http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...y-do-cats-purr, http://www.cat-behavior-explained.co...cats-purr.html, and http://pets.webmd.com/cats/features/why-cats-purr.
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post #3 of 11
10/11/11 at 11:51am
Cats can also purr when they are scared. You can usually tell by their body language if they are happy purring, scared purring, playful purring, etc.
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post #4 of 11
10/11/11 at 12:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by G-reg View Post
I'm kind of curious why cats purr when they do..
You're not the only one. It's one of those things that even the experts aren't sure they've completely understood.

Quote:
judging from how he tries to get away and grab/bite the brush I don't think he enjoys it that much Unless he thinks its a game and I just don't get it?
If he's still a kitten, he's probably under the impression that it's a game. If he didn't like it, I think he'd be more likely to try to run away or scratch you.
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post #5 of 11
10/11/11 at 12:43pm
Ritz rarely purrs vocally; the only times I've heard her purr was when she was scared.
Ritz does purr sub-vocally; I can feel her larynx vibrate when, for example, I giving her a neck massage. I've come to accept that about her.
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post #6 of 11
10/11/11 at 2:08pm
Cats purr when happy, in pain- whenever they want to make themselves feel better.
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post #7 of 11
10/11/11 at 2:37pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by rewboss View Post
If he didn't like it, I think he'd be more likely to try to run away or scratch you.
Yeah, definitely doesn't try any of that while being brushed. Clipping his nails on the other hand is a different story. He doesn't appreciate a good manicure.
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post #8 of 11
10/11/11 at 4:26pm
Boots purrs when he's out exploring the house (read: getting into everything). When he finds something particularly intriguing, like a paper ball or something shiny, he makes a sort of chirrup, a mix between a purr and a meow that goes up in pitch at the end. Sort a kitty "Hmmm?"

He also thinks the brush is a toy, and purrs even when he's "fighting" with it. So I wouldn't worry
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post #9 of 11
10/11/11 at 5:40pm
Happy, stressed, wanting to calm others or self, pain.. so many reasons, but usually you can tell the difference even by the purring sound if the cat doesn't show any other signs.

Utu purrs if he's mildly annoyed at humans. He purrs at the vet, he purrs when I comb him (has a huge coat to go through and he gets bored), and he purrs when he is being held and wants to leave (not a lap cat). The purring is however very different than when he purrs if he likes something, like while kneading and being cuddled or when I brush his face (he loves that).

He will also purr if I have food that he wants, it seems that's one of the purrs he can't control. He just can't help it, he wants my food and purrs which gives away his possible plans of stealing the food. That's when he starts doing tricks I've thaught him..
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post #10 of 11
10/12/11 at 5:25pm
i read an article once that said purring is a cats way of communicating.

whether the cat feels happy, sad, scared, anxious, in pain, etc....purring is the cats way to communicate...with other cats.

to humans purring sounds kinda of the same. to other cats, purring sounds different depending on what the cat is trying to communicate.

does that make sense?

lol
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post #11 of 11
10/13/11 at 2:05am
It could hardly be anything but a way of communicating. The slightly puzzling thing is that normally, the only cats who purr are kittens and nursing mothers. Other adult cats only purr in human company. Some cats even use something called a "soliciting purr", which is a purr combined with a whistling sound: cats use this only on humans, and only when they want something (usually food). Some researchers say they've discovered that the frequencies in the "whistling" component are similar to those found in a human baby's cry, which may explain why owners say they find the soliciting purr particularly irritating.

The best guess so far is that normally, the purr is way for kittens and their mothers to locate each other, and domestic cats have discovered that they can use it to manipulate humans.
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