That continuous sound makes felines unique in their ability to purr. Domestic cats ( Felis catus ), however, aren't the only ...

The Mechanics of Purring. The sound of a purr comes from vibrations in a cat’s throat. Specifically, the muscles around their vocal cords rapidly tighten and relax as they breathe in and out.

Imagine standing in the heart of a wild jungle when a deep, thunderous roar cracks the air—your heart pounds, your body ...

Purring isn’t easy to study: Felines aren’t usually keen on producing the sound around researchers in labs. Whatever its mechanical basis, purring seems hardwired into certain cats from birth.

Do All Cats Purr? Not all cats can even make the sound. Scientists used to think that only domestic cats could purr, but gradually found that other members of the Felinae subfamily, ...

Some scientists previously thought that cats purr by actively contracting and releasing the muscles in the voice box to create the rhythmic "purring" sound as air is pushed through, the authors of ...

Domestic cats’ voice boxes can sustain purring sound without requiring input from muscles or the brain. Plus, researchers have a rare opportunity to make progress in protecting global ...

Purring is the most common sound cats make. Yet we know less about it than meowing, chirping, chattering, hissing, and growling. Yes, cats purr when they're content. When yours is curled up in the ...

But since cats don’t purr on command—and they usually do so only when they feel content and comfortable—these types of experiments probably wouldn’t go so well.

A feline named Bella from the U.K. has set a new Guinness World Record for the loudest purr by a domestic cat (living) after her purr measured 54.49 decibels.

Your cat’s purr vibrates from their body outward, so if you’re sitting near them, you’ll both hear the noise and feel the sensation, and you can benefit from the healing properties a purr holds.