Purr

Some species of felines make a sound which is called a purr. It varies in detail from cat to cat (e.g., loudness, tone, etc.), and from species to species, but can be characterized as a sort of tonal buzzing. Some cats purr so strongly that their entire body vibrates.

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Scientists still cannot explain how cats purr. One theory holds it involves cats' false vocal cords, which do not appear to have any other function. Another theory involves blood hitting the aorta. Alternatively, purring may be caused by the vibrations of the hyoid apparatus, a series of small bones connecting the skull and the larynx that nominally serves to support the tongue. In general, larger cat species roar, but don't purr, while small ones purr, but don't roar. An exception are cheetahs who, although not exactly small, can make a number of different sounds including purring, but cannot roar. Moreover, whilst small cats can purr either during inhale or exhale, larger cat species can only purr during the exhale.

Feline: REDIRECT Felinae...

Sound: :This article is about compression waves. For other meanings, see sound (disambiguation)....

False vocal cords: REDIRECT Vocal folds#False vocal folds...

Purr related Images and Photos (experimental)

Gay Purr-ee 1962