Are cats the only animals that purr?
There is a lot to love catsAnd Ruring is certainly one of them. Cat owners can always say when their pet is happy with their low and satisfied blunders. But do other animals purry?
The answer depends on how you define exactly “runr”, said Jonathan Lososprofessor of biology at the University of Washington in St. Louis and author of “Cat meowing: how cats have evolved from savannah to your sofa“(Viking, 2023)
“If the question is:” What are animals purring “, I answered:” What do you mean by Ronrounement? “,” Said Losos to Live Science.
The first important component of a purring is its context. Cats are known to purr when they are happy, but they can also purr when they are stressed or suffering. Cats start to purr shortly after birth, and mothers and kittens often purr while locating and during nursing.
The second component of a purring is its physical mechanism. Scientists still do not fully understand how cats are purring, but an important characteristic of purring is Larynx vibrationThe structure in the throat known as the vocal box in humans. Unlike most other animal vocalizations, which only occur during expiration, purrs occur continuously when the cat inspires and leaves.
“It’s very constant, and it’s really one of the signatures of a purring cat,” said Losos.
In relation: Why do cats purry?
This continuous sound makes unique cats in their ability to purr. Domestic cats (Felis Cattus), however, are not the only species of purring cat – wild cats like cheetahs (Acinonyx Jubatus), Cougars (Puma Concolor), Servaux (Leptailurus Serval) and red lynx (Lynx Rufus) can also purr.
Some scientists believe that instead of categorizing different species such as “large” or “small” cats, it is actually more precise Classify cats as “purring” or “roar”. Lions (Panthera Leo), Tigers (Panthera Tigre), Jaguars (Panthera Onca) and leopards (Panthera Pardus) cannot purr, but they can roar, probably due to the anatomy of a structure in their throat called hyoid.
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Apart from the cat family tree, however, the vocalizations of continuous purring are very rare. The only other animal known for purring during inhalation and expiration is a cousin distant from cats called genet (genre Genetta).
“These are delicious small animals,” said Losos. He described their appearance as a cross between a cat and a mangouste, with a long and pointed nose and thin bodies. There are at least two species of genets who are known to purr, said Losos, although it is possible that there are more of which the Ronrous have not yet been documented by the researchers.
Animals that (a little) purry
The real purring is unique to cats and genets. But with a more loose definition of purring which does not focus on continuous vibration during inhalation and expiration, there are many species through the animal kingdom which also make buzzing, group noise, often in contexts similar to the purring of cats.
Ratons washer (Procyon Lotor), For example, “Runr” when they are happy and relaxedGenerally when babies are with their mother. Suzanne MacdonaldProfessor of psychology at the University of York who works regularly with rates washer, even attended a catch -up of “Purr” baby “while she nourished him by hand.
“They don’t look exactly like the cats purred, but quite close!” Macdonald told Live Science in an email. “When you hear it, you know you do something good.”
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There is not much research on the “Rurring” raccoon, but Macdonald thinks that the sound comes from a combination of a raccoon vocalization called chitter and excess saliva of the raccoons being very relaxed – a very different mechanism from the way the felines claim.
Many other mammals make vibrant noises to express comfort. For example, some rabbit owners report that their pets quickly tell their teeth when they are relaxed, creating a vibrant sound similar to purring. Bats can “purr” when he was detained by a trusted human, said a bat expert Irish Times. And the researchers noted that when the mother and the squirrel gray kit (Sawdore carolinensis) are together, they develop a sound -like sound called “muk-muk. “”
Some animals that “purr” are not even mammals. Take wolf spiders (Gulosa Gladicosa), who, when Attract potential companionsHit the parts of the body specialized against each other to make a purring sound, similar to the way in which crickets create their chirping.
While many animals make noises that share a certain resemblance to cat purls, there are still a lot of questions. Because many animals make these vibrant noises when they are relaxed, it is a behavior that is difficult to study, because the presence of human researchers can intrinsically stress animals.
But one thing is clear: by the strict definition of the purring, cats are really special.
