posted
I've heard from a few different people over the past few days that a cat's ability to purr is involuntary. Some one told me that they heard that this was true because of some studies done where cats purr when they are breast feeding from their mothers and when being fed by bottle, or something like that. Has anyone else heard this? Is it true?
~Monica
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I've just done a quick google of 'cat purring involuntary' and came up with a number of sites saying that no-one really knows for definite. It is a much debated subject.
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...and here's me thinking that they were drilling
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From my readings on the matter, no one seems to yet know quite how cats purr anyway. But I've heard them do it at all sorts of peculiar moments: in the middle of a fight, while going to the toilet and when very, very ill indeed.
Interestingly (or not ), according to the book Why Does My Cat...? by Sarah Heath, big cats such as tigers can only purr when they breathe out.
JT
-------------------- Silence should never under any circumstances be construed as agreement. A lot of the time, it's simply a reflection that someone just said something so stupid that no response could possibly do it justice. - Ramblin' Dave Posts: 8528 | From: Nottingham, England | Registered: Feb 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Jay Tea: ...and here's me thinking that they were drilling
They're trying to escape.
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well i have no idea why but i read someplace that the ywill purr when nervous or in pain, its supposed to be soothing to them, my cat purred while giving birth as well, and she also purred while nursing, perhaps it is supposed to soothe the babies? kind of like a lulluby.
Posts: 46 | From: DeLand, FL | Registered: Sep 2006
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One of my cats was having a nasty abscess examined once, and he started purring as the vet was poking it to see how deep it was. Course he was also nudging her and attempting to steal a thermometer from her pocket at the same time... he's a decidedly strange cat.
Coincidentally, that was also the last time he ever got to go outside, even on a leash in his own backyard with me watching... we discovered that the neighbor's cat is a vicious little beast who's hobbies include beating up defenseless black and white kitties in thier own yards, and I'm not quick enough to protect my poor baby even if I'm standing right there.
Posts: 58 | From: Colorado Springs, CO | Registered: Feb 2006
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According to the book "Do Fish Drink Water?" by Bill McLain:
"When a cat purrs it can mean just the opposite of contentment. A cat may purr when frightened. A sick cat unable to defend itself will purr in an effort to calm a potential aggressor. Cats have been known to purr when giving birth, when they are injured, and sometimes when they are dying. Scientists think that when a cat purrs, calming endorphins are released. If true, this would explain why cats purr when in pain.
Purring is not unique only to the cat family: studies have found that purring occurs in other species, such as in black bear cubs and nursing spotted hyenas.
A cat's purr also has the same romance-enhancing frequency as the voice of singer Barry White."
-------------------- They left off "Attendance at Satanic Rituals will be mandatory and everyone will be required to eat a kitten, with or without ketchup." - Mouse Posts: 65 | From: Vancouver, Washington | Registered: Jul 2006
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I read a news article several years ago (sorry, no cite or reference) that said cats seem to purr at different frequencies for different occasions, happy, injured, etc.
I used to have a nurse kitty who would wrap herself around aching body parts. My then bf had an abcessed tooth & woke up to find her wrapped around his jaw, & one time when I had a migraine she laid on my head. The purr she gave off was very different from the super-purr that being petted caused, so maybe there is something to it.
-------------------- Behind every good man there is a good woman and behind that another man looking at her rear end. Posts: 35 | From: Maryland | Registered: Jul 2006
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In the novel Oryx and Crake, the genetically engineered race of people (Crakers) have a number of different characteristics. One of them is the ability to purr. Their purring sort of acts as a healing vibe. They purr over other characters who have been injured or wounded or who are sick, and it tends to facilitate healing.
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I read somewhere (I think in one of the Bathroom Reader books, admittedly not models of accuracy) that cats purr when they are feeling social.
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quote:Originally posted by invisigoth: well i have no idea why but i read someplace that the ywill purr when nervous or in pain, its supposed to be soothing to them...
Perhaps it's similar to a human who is scared out of their wits but has a big, cheesy grin on their face. A sort of "I'm not a threat... see? I'm friendly. Don't hurt me!" defence mechanism.
The original scientific report is on subscription only sites, but the findings have been well reported. The purr frequency aids bone and muscle growth.
Some of my cats have purred so loudly that they throbbed (I really shouldn't use the phrase throbbing pussy though!).Kitty 2 was purring when being euthanized (she was 21 and had heart failure), it was hard to tell if this was a healing purr or if it was because we were petting and comforting her.
posted
My cats always purr when they're around me. I swear my oldest cat has a Harley engine in there!
-------------------- Leashes?! We don't need no stinking leashes!! Posts: 4771 | From: The Berkeley of the East Coast: Montgomery County MD | Registered: Mar 2003
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I've only heard that when cats "paw" like when they knead the blanket that is from when they were nursing & they were taken "too early"...I can see how the first part may be true but not the latter. My cat is the "I'll love you when I want it"...she purrs sometimes, not everytime she's petted.
-------------------- "Fate is like a strange, unpopular resturant, filled with odd waiters who bring you things you never ask for and don't always like."-Lemony Snicket Posts: 1119 | From: Bronx, NY | Registered: Dec 2005
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Shadow has purred at the vet before--when the doc stuck the thermometer up his you-know-what. I just figured he was a gay kitty. He will come to greet us at the door when we get home from work and give off the cutest "squeeky purrs" (tm). I have reason to believe those are his happy purrs
-------------------- This song has no title...just words and a tune.
quote:Originally posted by Squishy0405: I've only heard that when cats "paw" like when they knead the blanket that is from when they were nursing & they were taken "too early"...I can see how the first part may be true but not the latter. My cat is the "I'll love you when I want it"...she purrs sometimes, not everytime she's petted.
When cats knead it isn't always because they were taken too early, some of them just seem to like to do it.
My kittens were weened at 6 months- that's when mom finally escaped them. We couldn't find good homes, so they were weened when she ran out when a door was opened. Then they started nursing on their older brother.
I think it is more "don't stop" or a comfort thing. Signal does it when he really likes how I am petting him.
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Mother cats knead when they are nursing kittens. Kittens kneead when they are nursing. Kneading begins as a way of stimulating milk flow from the nipple. It therefore gets associated with sensations of wellbeing! Motley used to "air knead". While sitting up, she raised one paw a few inches off the ground and and clenched/unclenched it. I've only seen this in one other cat - also a tortie like Motley.
posted
[from the mile deep bunker, in the flameproof suit] Everything cats do is involuntary, they're animals.[/fmdbfs]
Posts: 1749 | From: -> Canberra <-/ Hong Kong / London | Registered: Jun 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Llewtrah: Mother cats knead when they are nursing kittens. Kittens kneead when they are nursing. Kneading begins as a way of stimulating milk flow from the nipple. It therefore gets associated with sensations of wellbeing! Motley used to "air knead". While sitting up, she raised one paw a few inches off the ground and and clenched/unclenched it. I've only seen this in one other cat - also a tortie like Motley.
My Cleo did that too. She was also a tortie. Hmmm.
-------------------- Silence should never under any circumstances be construed as agreement. A lot of the time, it's simply a reflection that someone just said something so stupid that no response could possibly do it justice. - Ramblin' Dave Posts: 8528 | From: Nottingham, England | Registered: Feb 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Llewtrah: Mother cats knead when they are nursing kittens. Kittens kneead when they are nursing. Kneading begins as a way of stimulating milk flow from the nipple. It therefore gets associated with sensations of wellbeing! Motley used to "air knead". While sitting up, she raised one paw a few inches off the ground and and clenched/unclenched it. I've only seen this in one other cat - also a tortie like Motley.
My Cleo did that too. She was also a tortie. Hmmm.
Torties are nutters There now seems to be a basis for the "tortie temperament" (aka "naughty tortie") which is linked to mosaicism - different cells have different X chromosomes activated (which is what causes the patches of red and non-red) and this may also affect them neurologically. Since mosaicism may be linked to some auto-immune diseases (a New Scientist article from a few years back), it is not too far-fetched to link mosaicism to oddities in brain function.
quote:Originally posted by Llewtrah: Motley used to "air knead". While sitting up, she raised one paw a few inches off the ground and and clenched/unclenched it. I've only seen this in one other cat - also a tortie like Motley.
My Cleo did that too. She was also a tortie. Hmmm.
We have a cat who does the air knead -- he's a black Scottlish fold mix. Our tortie doesn't do it. Of course, our tortie is, for the most part, a stone-cold bitch.
-------------------- How homophobic do you have to be to have penguin gaydar? - Lewis Black Posts: 8322 | From: Columbus, OH | Registered: Aug 2005
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Our cat will air knead, but only when she is laying either on her side or on the couch (and her paw is sticking straight out and hanging off hte edge). She has also been known to sleep-knead.
We call it "making biscuits"
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Tux only really "makes biscuits" when she is about to lay down, on a comforter or on the nice soft microfiber blanket that's pretty much the only thing on the dresser. Since she knocked everything else off it.
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quote:Originally posted by Llewtrah: [QUOTE]Torties are nutters There now seems to be a basis for the "tortie temperament" (aka "naughty tortie") which is linked to mosaicism - different cells have different X chromosomes activated (which is what causes the patches of red and non-red) and this may also affect them neurologically. Since mosaicism may be linked to some auto-immune diseases (a New Scientist article from a few years back), it is not too far-fetched to link mosaicism to oddities in brain function.
Oh, my! Should I worry about my tortie? She's crazy but lovable. I would hate to think I'm overlooking a disorder just because I'm used to her craziness.
-------------------- "But I'm adding this to my reasons why I never really liked really good looking men much. Sheesh, what good is good looking if you have to stuff a sock in his mouth." - Sara at home NFBSK, IIRC and other mysterious Snopester language Posts: 851 | From: Indiana | Registered: Dec 2004
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I used to have a tortie, and my vet told me that generally, when they get a tortie in the office, it's time to get out the big leather gloves, because that's the only way to handle them without getting shredded.
However, my Simone was the most tolerant, loving, friendly, gentle kitty in the world. He used to call her "sweetie". I miss her every day.
-------------------- Peter: Brian, there's a message in my Alpha Bits. It says "OOOOOO". Brian: Peter, those are Cheerios. Posts: 53 | From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | Registered: Sep 2006
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I never heard any of this about torties before. My twin tortie girls are sleeping beside me right now. They are both lovely cats and I have never noticed them to have temperaments outside the norm of any of the other cats I have had.
posted
When I took my tortie to the vet for her first vaccinations it took three of us to hold her down. At the time there was only about a tablespoon of fluff to her, but none of the humans involved came out unscathed. She didn't start kneading until she was just over two years old, so either it took her that long to realise she had been taken from her mother too early or there is some other trigger for the behaviour.
I think torties can be just as sweet and lovable as any other cat, but when they switch to psycho mode they really switch to psycho mode. Mine is sitting on my knee and purring as I type, but it wouldn't surprise me if she decides, in five minutes or so, to affectionately rip my arm off and beat me over the head with the soggy end. Another five minutes after that, she'll be back purring on my lap again.
quote:Originally posted by Jay Tea: ...and here's me thinking that they were drilling
They're trying to escape.
Which you realize because you've got three cats in trousers you wonder what's up with the cat litter because you keep having to empty it because it's up to here!
Noemi
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), according to the book Why Does My Cat...? by Sarah Heath, big cats such as tigers can only purr when they breathe out.
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