Seems like a simple enough question, right? Wrong. The science behind a cat’s purr has long been disputed.

Common knowledge tells us that purring is one of several methods of non-verbal communication cats use to convey their moods and needs. Most experienced “cat people” know that cats don’t purr only when they are content and happy. They also purr during traumatic experiences, i.e. when they’re injured. Purring under stress has been described as a cat’s mantra, i.e., a self-soothing, self-healing, relaxing, vibrating sound. The cat is telling himself to calm down and everything will be okay.

And that may be a part of the answer to the question, why do cats purr? It is soothing to the animal, and makes the cat (and others around her) feel good.

Thanks to Doctors Foster and Smith for this information…

A cat’s purr signals contentment, comfort and security. For many pet owners, the humming purr of a cat is the unmistakable sign that their cat is happy and healthy.In many ways this is true: behaviorists believe the original function of purring was to enable a kitten to tell his mother that “all is well down here.” This often occurs during nursing. A kitten can’t meow and nurse at the same time, but it can purr and nurse without any problem. The mother often purrs back, reassuring the kitten.This is why your cat purrs when petted, instinctively giving the signal “all is well,” a message you can both feel and hear.

But this isn’t the only message purring may signal…Although we assume that a cat’s purr is an expression of pleasure or is a means of communication, perhaps the reasons for purring can be deciphered from the more stressful moments in a cat’s life. Older cats purr when they play or approach other cats, signaling they are friendly and want to come closer. Cats also purr when they are distressed or afraid. Sick and injured cats, and those in veterinary offices often purr, thus, not all purring cats appear to be content or pleased with their current circumstances. Like expressed above, it is thought that this is the cat’s way of reassuring and calming herself.

(This catch-22 has lead researchers to investigate how cats purr, which is still under debate.)

According to an article in Scientific American, over the course of evolution, purring has probably offered some advantage to cats. Most felid species produce a “purr-like” vocalization.

Scientific American also says that scientists have demonstrated that cats produce the purr through signaling of the laryngeal and diaphragmatic muscles. Cats purr during both inhalation and exhalation with a consistent pattern and frequency between 25 and 150 Hertz. Various investigators have shown that sound frequencies in this range can improve bone density and promote healing (even in humans)!

This association between the frequencies of cats’ purrs and improved healing of bones and muscles may provide a third answer to the question, why do cats purr. Because cats have adapted to conserve energy via long periods of rest and sleep, it is possible that purring is a low energy mechanism that stimulates muscles and bones without a lot of energy! Sound vibrations, in the same frequency range as a cat purr, can actually act as a healing aid, reduce pain, and promote tissue growth.

So it seems that there are three reasons that answer the question, why do cats purr: they are content, they are making others (kittens, other cats, other animals and humans) feel comfortable using this special form of communication, and finally, purring is a potential source of self-healing and a built-in survival mechanism.

Who knew?

For the sake of keeping us all together and making new friends in the pet blogosphere I have started talking about my favorite pet blogs once a week. Since I missed last week I am posting on Monday instead of Friday.

This week’s Pet Blog of the Week is a cat blog: Daisy the Curly Cat. Daisy might be one of the luckiest cats this world has ever seen. Her mother takes her for walks outside in a covered stroller, she gets to play dress-up, and she is just so photogenic.

Daisy’s blog has features like Monday Mystery - where you have to guess what she is doing or what happens next, Wordless Wednesday - where some adorable photo of Daisy is posted, Sunday Comics - where Daisy gets to be featured in her own comic strip, and Fashion Friday - where she gets to play dress up.

Daisy always has the cutest pictures up on her blog and it’s always fun to play along with her Monday Mysteries. Here is our most recent favorite picture of Daisy (she is in her stroller):

From Daisy’s blog:

I am a dilute calico Devon Rex cat, and I was born on 2/10/04. I have very soft, curly fur. Even though my ears are big, I am very little - I weigh just 6 pounds. I have a big sister named Pixie who is also a Devon Rex. Welcome to my curly world!”

If you are looking for some adorable photos and some feline fun, be sure to check out Daisy the Curly Cat!

It’s time again for the cutest kitty of the week. In this case, it’s cutest kitties! I just want to squeeze these guys they are so adorable!

This picture is courtesy the PrettyNiceCat album in Webshots Pets Category. Check out the full album for more adorable kitten pictures.

Start with one fat tabby cat, sunning himself on the back porch.


Because he is a happy cat, start doing rubby-dubbies on the human Muthur…

Find something to attack - in this case a shoelace.

Chew on shoelace until it breaks free from shoe.

Mission accomplished.

I got this in an email. The original source of the photos is unknown (it was one of those forwards)…

This might be the funniest video I have ever seen…

When the Parents Have Gone

Thank you so much Kathryn for this wonderful award! I love your blogs, The Empty Nest and the pet blog, 4UrPets (a blogosphere fave!).

Hooray! Here is my award!

For the sake of keeping us all together and making new friends in the pet blogosphere I have started talking about my favorite pet blogs once a week.

My favorite this week is the always entertaining Dogs Aye View. Penned by two mutts, Gomer and Opie, Dogs Aye View is about their lives with DogMom and all their adventures. Their most recent adventure…Opie’s forays into the wild (he likes to run away when he sees something that catches his fancy.) Opie ran away three times in one week recently! He has pulled out his stake (that he is chained to with a dog run) and is a force to be reckoned with!

From Dogs Aye View:

We’ve got at Dog Blog in Minnesota! At “Dogs Aye View,” two adopted rescue dogs offer their unique view of life. Meet “Gomer” - the beagle-puppy-found-in-a-dumpster-that-grew-up-to-be-a-yellow-lab - and his brother Opie - the red-headed-some-kind-of-hound-that-Gomer-brought-home. Their quirky, goofy, humorous antics and neurotic, unusual and sometimes inconsistent perspective on their world is shared. Please participate and share your dogs’-eye-view with us.”

Gomer and Opie are excellent writers and will have you in stitches with their antics! For a good laugh and some good stories, visit Dogs Aye View!

Hello everyone,

I got an interesting reader question last week and I am hoping that some of you might have some input to answer this gentleman’s question. I do not have much experience with dog breeders.

Here’s the question and I hope to get some input from you guys! Thanks.

My problem with breeders is more on the light side. Say you want a dog. I’ve had Cairn terriers, Goldens, and I’m presently looking for an English Setter. I think it’s easy enough to look around, talk to a handful of breeders, and select a decent breeder. I believe that I’ve been fortunate enough to talk to a good number of caring, knowledgable, responsible breeders. The problem for me comes about when I want any kind of commitment from the breeder about my “place in line” and my ability to select a pup from an upcoming litter.

Most of the breeders I settle on here in WI only have one to three litters a year. I think this is good because we’re talking about responsible breeders who care about what they do and act responsibly in the breeding area. But when I ask if any pups will be available from the next litter I start getting the runaround: “I hate to tell you that you will get a dog because you may be very disappointed if this doesn’t actually happen so I’ll just tell you you’re on the list and maybe you will get a dog”.

What becomes clear over time is that a web of intrigue exists involving the breeder’s needs for future dogs, the stud dog owner’s pay-off (usually one pup from the litter), the needs of any breeder friends the litter owner is hoping to satisfy, ya-da, ya-da, ya-da.

Bottom line: if I’m just Joe average asking a good breeder to sell me a dog, I won’t get a straight answer about where I stand in line in the puppy selection process. I fully understand that litter sizes can be erratic. But if I’m willing to pay for a dog ahead of time, or place a substantial deposit, why can’t I be told that I will get, say, #2 choice or #3 choice or…?

It seems that the deck is strongly stacked against the family pet buyer or, in my case, the family pet buyer who entertains at least a thought of breeding his animal. Good, responsible, talented breeders don’t have too many litters per year and they keep most of the best dogs or sell them to breeder friends. A guy like me is going to get a decent dog, well cared for, well socialized, and with parents who have passed xray tests, etc., but is not going to get much of a pick of the litter and is not likely to get an animal worth breeding. Add to this the fact that the last two purebreds I bought in the last 10 years came with a contract I had to sign promising that I wouldn’t breed the dog (must be spayed/neutered to get AKC registry; what’s the point).

I like the idea that I’m getting a dog with parents certified against physical problems. I like talking to good breeders and getting insight into the breed. I like the care responsible breeders provide their pups.

I dislike the idea that I can’t seem to purchase a good breeding dog. I also strongly dislike the buying process, in which the breeder typically fibs to me about what’s going on. What’s going on is that I’m at the bottom of the food chain. I’m considered a “pet owner” and their’s no way a breeder is likely to give me desireable dog from the litter no matter how much I pay or how long I’m willing to wait.

I love dogs. I want to purchase an animal with the best chances of good health. I would like the possibility of breeding my dog. I only see this last possibility as feasible if the breeder will help out, as I know I don’t have the necessary knowledge to do this.

What do I have to do to get a first rate dog? Most breeders seem to have arranged for the sale of the most desirable pups and will only sell “pet” quality dogs to the general public.

Any thoughts?

John K.

It’s time once again for the kitten picture of the week photo! (I love this day). This picture is from MarianLilly’s album on the Webshots.com Pets category. She has some wonderful cat pictures in her albums.