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I am a human and i can purr... I do it somehow by concetrating on the muscles close to the ear, have to close my eyes when i do it... people are sometimes freaked out about it :D Foant
I dont know actually... But when cats purr you can feel the muscels moving if you put your hand on them. Foant
My girlfriend can purr. It's a little unsettling. What's more is that she does keep her mouth closed the whole time. Not sure how she does it, but she does have to close her eyes, so likely the same way as the above people claim. 71.120.201.39 (talk) 18:57, 5 September 2008 (UTC)
I highly recommend purring/snoring because I find that purring resonates my trachea and then passes the vibration to my bloodstream. A three-minute demo here titled "Purring to Nirvana"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvyW3-2QSeQ
Further information here: http://www.raysender.com/trachealresonance.html — Preceding unsigned comment added by Rabar94114 (talk • contribs) 22:53, 15 February 2012 (UTC)
I purr too sometimes with my cats, to show companionship. I can do it with my mouth closed, and it is as described above, a gluttural soundless German 'r'. It is easiest while exhaling though, quite difficult while inhaling, and then it moves further back to the throat. Cat's purr is clearly further down in the stomach though, not in the mouth.--83.93.29.132 (talk) 08:37, 28 June 2009 (UTC) --176.115.160.182 (talk) 10:46, 30 September 2019 (UTC)
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But I purr by vocal fry with closed mouth. And I think that Yanix and Lil Morty do this in their tracks.$addl3backtamar1n134 (talk) 13:01, 7 October 2019 (UTC)
Any chance of citing a source for that, please? I don't doubt it, but it caught my attention and I'd like to know more about it.
Secondly, I note that a line indicating that cheetahs can purr was removed a while ago. There's a link to a .wav file on this page that claims to be the sound of a cheetah purring. Loganberry (Talk) 02:41, 11 July 2005 (UTC)
I disagree with Ephemeral life's 11 October edit. Although I lack the knowledge to gauge the scientific accuracy of the formerly linked article, I would like to point out that his edit was at least sloppy, as he retained the mentions that purring can "help a wounded cat to heal" and "help to keep a cat's bones strong", merely removing any semblance of scientific explanation or references to back up these claims. I would like to request that a more qualified person attempts to determine the scientific veracity of these claims, and depending on this either (A) returns the deleted reference, (B) removes the claims althogether, or (C) returns the reference with a disclaimer that it is an unproved theory, just like the various theories on HOW cats purr, one section above. -- Milo
I would swear(don't swear, there are kiddos present) on any suitable ( to whosoever was swearing me in) tome that I saw a lioness purring in a zoo... it was audible form CubeRoman (talk) 30 feet... does my memory play games with me? (Heck yeah it does)
I beleive this has come up before, and if I remember correctly, some, if not all, big cats such as lions, purr, but only when exhaling. I think.......
Below is a link to University of Minn. Lion Research Center page stating that lions purr only on the exhale: http://www.cbs.umn.edu/eeb/lionresearch/about/faq.shtml —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.166.188.234 (talk) 15:54, 23 March 2010 (UTC)
The article seems to imply that we do not know how or why cats purr.
I've intuitively thought that it might have something to do with breathing -- that it might be similar to inhaling and exhaling at a high rate, in order to more efficiently deliver oxygen, instead of taking deep, long breaths, which requires more energy and lung pressure. But this is purely intuition.
The article seems to imply that purring has been incorrectly been associated (by humans) with a cat's happiness or contentment. I call this the "Contentment Hypothesis".
Where did the idea of purring and contentment originally come from, and what evidence is availble for and against the "contentment hypothesis"?
Does purring come before or after contentment? Could purring itself be what leads to contentment, rather than the other way around?
Is there any evidence that endorphins or other chemicals are released into the cat's bloodstream during purring? That could explain why cats seem happy while purring, while at the same time, explain why some frightened or injured cats purr.
"Whilst small cats can purr either during inhale or exhale, larger cat species can only purr during the exhale."
Given that this statement a) is contradicted by the explanation of how cats pur and that b) the reference is a page explaning how Pumas (a larger cat species) purr, I have removed this statement to the talk page here until such time as someone can find suitable references to back it up. --Sonelle 17:04, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
According to the San Diego Zoo: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-smallcat.html
...big cats can’t purr continuously. They can only purr when they breathe out. The purr is interrupted when the cat breathes in. As a result, some big cats make a noise keepers refer to as a "chuffle.”
I have not found a specific research paper on the matter yet.[Ikmar 19:54, 30 October 2005]
I've been looking to find a reference for the current larynx theory of purring. While I haven't been able to find a copy of the article, it was written by Lea Strogdale and John Delack, published in a 1997 issue of Cornell University's Animal Health Report. Can anyone find this article and verify the reference? My university's online index doesn't contain it. --Mcpusc 09:57, 8 November 2005 (UTC)
Stogdale L, Delack JB. Feline purring. Compendium on Continuing Education for the Practicing Veterinarian 1985; 7: 551, 553.
Reprinted in: Voith VL, Borchelt PL (eds). Readings in Companion Animal Behavior. Trenton: Veterinary Learning Systems, 1996; 269-270.
Below is a link to published research comparing the anatomy of Felidae, which purr while inhaling and exhaling, with the anatomy of Pantherinae, which cannot purr while inhaling.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1570911/ —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.166.188.234 (talk) 15:52, 23 March 2010 (UTC)
I've removed the following text from the article, which is copied almost verbatim from The Straight Dope:
LVC 09:21, 26 December 2005 (UTC)
The entry currently says that tigers can purr, but only in one direction. I have no idea what "only in one direction" means in reference to purring. Can someone edit this to clarify?
Tigers can only make a purring noise while exhaling, not while inhaling. Domestic cats can purr continuously through both inhalation and exhalation. (I'll let someone else work this into the section) Rpresser 22:12, 15 April 2006 (UTC)
Hi. This might be stupid, but I've heard that cat-like creatures release a pleasure drug into the blood-stream when they purr. This might be the reason that they purr when they're injured - to decrease the pain. I've heard this on National Geographic. Once again, sorry if it's stupid. (by 07:39, 27 June 2006 SmileyMan)
I've attempted to preserve the sense apparently meant in the 2nd para of How felines purr. The phrasing is now better, but the sense is still confused. Do cats have two vocal cord sets as the editor implies? I've left it in, but I'm not easy about it. In addition, many of the references seem to be to an article from an industrial magazine from B&K. Great company, I've used their stuff, but they're an engineering company, not a zoologicla one. I'd believe the article on the measurements, but much of it is speculation as neerly as I can make out. Is there something the B&K article used as a source about the effect of particular vibration frequencies on healing and such? I think we need it here. ww 04:23, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
Sorry to be pedantic, but the article contains five references to footnotes, but there are only four footnotes. What/where is footnote five? PatrickHadfield 15:09, 24 October 2006
I have removed some errors from the "Effect on Humans" section that were in direct conflict with the citation. The citation is also not an acceptable reference. The entire section is highly questionable. What does the relative constancy of several cat's purrs have to do with the "effect on humans"? And what does how do the "harmonics" of 25Hz have substantial energy? That is pseudo-scientific babble that makes wikipedia seem like a silly website. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 24.177.112.82 (talk) 03:39, 29 December 2006 (UTC).
There is considerable evidence that things we find soothing and relaxing, like a cat's purr, can reduce blood pressure and have long term benefits on human health. I've often heard that cat owners liv(statistically significant) longer lives than non cat-owners, although I don't have time or motivation to actually look up the research. My point is, the writer may have done a poor job explaining or citing the evidence, but don't dismiss the health benefits of pets on humans as pseudo-science just because of your own skepticism. (unsigned)
The article speculates (without references) that cats purr when they need attention, such as medical treatment (because apparently they purr sometimes when injured - something coincidentally I have never observed). Why would a cat purr in the wild if it needs medical treatment? First, they can't give medical treatment to each other, and second, cats are solitary. 204.112.156.246 18:26, 29 December 2006 (UTC)
Not all cats are solitary. Having a signaling mechanism to indicate stress or injury, for example, between a kitten and mother, could definitely serve an evolutionary purpose. However, I find it hard to believe that evolution could select for a single type of signal (purring) to express both injury and contentment. This seems problematic to me. On the other hand, an "I need attention" signal could be used by both happy and sick cats alike...although this would be more of a plea for help than a "distress signal," as the article seems to suggest. With that said, I've never noticed my cats purring when they're upset, scared, or sick. So yeah I agree, sources would be nice... 76.81.218.167 01:36, 19 March 2007 (UTC)
It'll be good if someone can upload a *purring* sound of a feline. That could provide more info, as expected out of a reader.
Mugunth 04:58, 2 February 2007 (UTC)
A good 46-minute sequence of cats purring here: http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/KG/Fox-Terry_The-Labyrinth-Cats.mp3 — Preceding unsigned comment added by Rabar94114 (talk • contribs) 22:57, 15 February 2012 (UTC)
The author states in "How Felines Purr" section of the article that the mechanism for purring is unknown and identifies two theories (vocal cord manipulation, "...another area of soft tissue or muscular tissue in the neck or torso...") for how cats make the purring noise. However, in the paragraph right below the statement is made that "Cats that roar lack the purring vocal cords, and use the vocal cords in charge of roaring and growling instead, making a noise similar to growling when they purr." That statement assumes one of the two theories to be validated which is not the case and also contradicts itself. I altered the text to something less confusing. "Cats that roar seem to lack the mechanism for purring and in situations where purring cats purr cats that roar make a noise similar to growling. As a result, the two sounds are often confused." --Mychair 17:56, 22 April 2007 (UTC)
I've had pet guinea pigs all my life, and they purr somewhat like cats do. They purr while they're being petted, and they'll also make a brief purring noise sometimes when startled. I'm sure there are probably other animals out there that purr as well. So, what other kinds of animals are known to purr, and is their purring related to the purring of cats? 71.61.233.43 01:14, 22 May 2007 (UTC)
Not that I doubt the ability of other animals to purr, but the last paragraph on the intro about other animals (squirrels, elephants, gorrilas) is taking a bit of a liberty. Gorillas and elephants? The source link is just for howstuffworks, which not only has nothing on the subject, but is also not a reliable source. Move to fix/delete both the gorilla/elephant/squirrel part, and delete/rethink the link. Geno-Supremo (talk) 15:33, 2 November 2008 (UTC)
I see a lot of unsubstantiated claims of purring frequency as high as 150 Hz. Since domestic cats purr at 26.3 Hz, these higher ranges must refer to the other feline species. But since they are bigger, one would expect them to purr lower, not higher, right? Therefore I have removed all reference to the higher pitches, pending a legit source (not one of those "purring cures bone disease" BS ones). Speciate 22:55, 8 July 2007 (UTC)
The 26.3Hz claim is one for which I've been waiting for some supporting data for a long time. Ive known several domestic cats whose purrs sounded to my (non absolute pitch) ears to vary a good bit in frequency. Certainly in the overtones (ie, harmonics). Has seemed suspicious to me fro the moment it was inserted. (unsigned)
This is a nice, fun to read article. How much of it is fact and how much of it is just interesting reading? I'm not asking to whack out stuff. Don;t misunderstand. More references exists?Botrag 18:17, 14 July 2007 (UTC)
I had an opportunity to hold and play with a raccoon kit recently, and was surprised to find that it purrs! Sounds just like a cat, although it only purrs on exhaling. You can hear a recording of a raccoon purr at http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/raccoon.htm (follow the link in the Additional Media section)Starfiremb 11:10, 3 August 2007 (UTC)
I have a cat, and I don't believe they purr when they're nervous or in pain —Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.181.226.21 (talk) 23:33, 20 September 2007 (UTC)
For me this site catsleep.com has been very helpful so have a look at it and I love to hear what others think. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Nockturn (talk • contribs) 17:54, 6 February 2008 (UTC)
I added a charitable "citation needed" to the highly speculative last para here, although feel deletion would have been better (I'm not a regular contributor to this article so will leave it to someone else to decide... I feel it really detracts from an otherwise well-written and credible piece). Señor Service (talk) 17:12, 24 May 2008 (UTC)
yeah, the last paragraph is ridiculous —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.216.106.173 (talk) 18:47, 26 May 2008 (UTC)
However, cutting out any mention of the fact that cats purr when happy seems to be going too far, don't you think? --207.176.159.90 (talk) 00:49, 5 June 2008 (UTC)
My cat didn't purr when he was dying; he wouldn't stop screaming and wailing. AndarielHalo (talk) 13:25, 15 October 2008 (UTC)
When I open this page, I see a trolling text "AVRIL LAVIGNE ROKZ MY SOCKZ!" etc. Reverts does not appear to work. Any hint what is going on? - Skysmith (talk) 16:22, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
I don't trust this article or anything claimed within it, and am inclined to remove any references to it and any statements backed up solely by it (if there are any). (It's no.7 on the references list). Very interesting article otherwise. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.69.77.254 (talk) 20:23, 14 October 2008 (UTC)
This article needs a more precise definition of what is purring and what distinguishes a purr from other animal noises. For example, it has been stated that lions and other members of Pantherinae do not purr. See, e.g., http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1570911/ That is, lions, tigers, etc. make a purring noise only while exhaling (aka "chuffing"), whereas house cats are able to purr without interruption while inhaling and exhaling. It thus begs the question: To qualify as a "purr," does it matter whether the sound is made continuously while breathing in and out, or may it also include the sounds made only on the exhale? I will leave the answer to experts, but my guess is that there is no consensus on the answer. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.166.188.234 (talk) 22:25, 19 May 2010 (UTC)
This article is mostly speculation with no references. Starting with the first line, "A purr is a sound made by all species of felids and is a part of cat communication."
No one actually know why cats purr, and the notion that it is part of communication goes unreferenced. No one will ever really know why cats purr, and there is no way to know. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.131.199.97 (talk) 03:05, 24 May 2010 (UTC)
If purring "triggers her brain to release a hormone which helps her in relaxing and acts as a pain killer," then why don't cats just purr all the time and become junked-out purr addicts, losing interest in catnip, rodents, toys, etc.? Tisane talk/stalk 22:50, 5 July 2010 (UTC)
LOL! That's really funny. Too bad you're banned. *Hmphs* ★♛iluvselenagomez1234♛★ (talk) 03:12, 27 December 2011 (UTC)
I removed cockroaches from the list of non felid animals capable of purring (beginning of article). I can find no direct evidence/mention/research which claims cockroaches can purr. All other non felid examples listed are mammals. In the context of this article, and within the general conception of "purring," i believe the generation of such a noise requires highly developed (IE mammalian) vocal cords, musculature, and/or respiratory system - none of which a cockroach possesses. Any noise created by a cockroach which may resemble purring is surely generated by friction or vibration. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Tim20le (talk • contribs) 05:57, 25 July 2010 (UTC)
Where does this come from? While it's true that it used to be thought that members of the Panthera genus couldn't purr, Felidae contains more genera than just Felis and Panthera. There are in fact a total of 15 genera in the Felidae family as currently classified. It's long been known that the Puma and Lynx genera, for example, are quite capable of purring. 24.214.230.66 (talk) 01:58, 9 June 2011 (UTC)
Since the #Bone density talk went off-topic: There is an article in Scientific American as well as a reference in the German language Wikipedia Schnurren supporting that claim; this Nature article also says that a little shaking, to which purring is similar, seems to have healing effects on bones. --Amazeroth (talk) 13:58, 30 December 2011 (UTC)
WPMOS states that the reference section can be numbered (preferred) or bulleted; there is a different method of creating each of these. This reference section has a mixture of both styles. This should be converted to the numbered style: I will do it if I get the inclination, energy, and time and someone else doesn't beat me to it. IiKkEe (talk) 01:13, 28 June 2015 (UTC)
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I do not know if the statement that gorillas purr is true since the does not say that gorillas purr in the reference attached to this statement. It says, gorillas make a "rumbling belching" sound while eating or resting.
Belching is defined as, "gas being emitted from the stomach through the mouth [1]," which is different then purring. An additional source for evidentiary support of this statement would make this less confusing.
Purpose
Reference 12 does not state that purring releases a hormone which acts as a painkiller. There may be evidence to support this claim, but it is not in that reference.
Mechanism
I found this section very confusing. The statement, "no cats can purr and roar," leads the reader to believe that this is a true statement. The article goes on to say that this was a hypothesis. I feel that this section is contradicting and confusing. Other studies not cited in this article have suggested that, that statement cannot be confirmed. Although the article is not perfect, I enjoyed reading it. It was a fun and interesting article. It just needs more evidence to support the claims being made.Erc045 (talk) 18:48, 22 September 2017 (UTC)Erc045 (talk) 19:19, 22 September 2017 (UTC)
References