Why Do Some Cats Purr Louder Than Others?
Purring is something that all cats do and to a pet parent, it can be one of the most pleasant sounds you will hear from your cat. A cat’s purr can have a sound similar to a soft buzzing or it can be a loud grumbling. Even the same cat can have more than one type of purr.
Have you ever wondered why some cats purr louder than others? There can be a number of reasons for a cat to have a louder purr. These reasons range from the type of breed, to their level of happiness and comfort to health issues, such as; a cough or cold that can affect the pitch of your cat’s purr.
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Why Do Cats Purr?
There are two types of cats. The type that purr and the type that roars. The breeds that roar are lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars. The domestic cats and large outdoor breeds are the cats that purr. There is a lot of discussion around the exact reason that a cat purrs. Turns out there are several reasons that cats may purr.
Here are 5 reasons that cats purr:
- They are happy
- They are nervous
- They are hungry or want something
- Kitten-mother connection
- Relief and healing
My cats will purr if they are happy or nervous. If they are hungry or want something they are more likely to be very vocal (meow) than purr.
Is Loud Purring Normal?
Some cats purr louder than others. It depends on what is normal for your cat. Cats can have a louder purr if he is nervous than if he is happy or visa versa. Happiness, nervousness and stress, or pain can have an impact on how loud a cat purrs, but there is nothing abnormal about the loudness of a cat’s purr.
What Breed of Cat Purrs the Loudest?
There is no “rule of thumb” for how loud a cat purrs or which breed purrs louder than another breed. It has been my experience that circumstances (comfort, happiness, nervousness, etc.) tend to have more of an impact on how loud a cat purrs than the breed of the cat.
Have you ever wondered how loud a cat can purr? Well, the average cat purrs at about 25 decibels. There are several cats on record that purr at 90+ decibels. They say this is comparable to the sound of a truck or a motorcycle. Despite that being the case, I would take the sound of the loud cat any day.
Do Cats Have Control Over Purring?
Have you ever wondered if your cat can control how loud he purrs? Is it up to him whether he purrs loud or if he is going to keep it to a calming hum? The bottom line is there is a lot of mystery surrounding a cat’s purr (which is kind of cool). Many people believe a cat’s purring is involuntary and automatic although, there does not seem to be any confirmed evidence one way or another.
There is no indication that a cat can control his purring, but it seems he can indicate how he feels with the sound of his purr.
Boy, Pixie and Mary’s Story
Like all other domestic cats, they spent a lot of time purring, but they all had their own personalities when it came to purring.
Mary purred very gently and never had a loud or rough-sounding purr. She never seemed to show much fear or nervousness. So, I never seemed to notice a “nervous” purr in her.
Boy and Pixie’s purr seemed to be more of what I would call an emotional purr. You could tell by the way they were purring when they were happy or nervous. Their purr got louder and “rougher”.
I also noticed a significant difference in Boy’s purr a few days before he passed away. You could just tell that he did not feel well. His purr was raspy and almost frantic compared to what it sounded like during better times.
I think a cat can tell us a lot about how he feels, by the sound of his purr.
Why is a Cat’s Purr Soothing?
A cat purrs at a frequency that fluctuates between 20 to 140 Hz. This frequency range has been proven to be medically therapeutic. A cat’s purr can lower your blood pressure and bring calm when things get stressful. Cats have a way of making us feel better both physically and mentally with the sound of their gentle purr.
Can a Cat’s Purr Lower Your Blood Pressure?
The truth is cats can help keep us calm and this calming effect can lower our blood pressure. According to the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Neurology, researchers noticed a link between cat ownership and a decreased risk of dying from heart attack or stroke.
Final Thoughts
There is a lot we really don’t know about a cat’s purr. The one thing we do know is each cat’s purr is as unique as your voice. Some are loud. Some are soft. But all fur babies purr, bringing comfort and peace to themselves as well as to their owners.