People commonly believe that cats only purr when happy, but research has shown that is not always the case. Cats communicate through a variety of different means. They converse not only with us but with each other.
Purring is one of the most common resonances a cat can make. Purring is like a soft rumbling sound. The vibrations of the purr have the power to heal both cats and humans.
Cats not only purr but also have unique meows they communicate to us that mean different things. They also use body language and scent as a means of communication. Read on to find out about the purr and how cats communicate with us.
Do Cats Communicate with Purrs?
While it is true that most cats purr to communicate with their humans, they also begin to purr when they are newborn kittens. They purr to communicate with their mothers and littermates. When they communicate with their guardians, they are typically doing so to express what they want.
The sweet little purr is a handy tool for cats to get what they want from you. It usually means they want to be petted, but it could also mean they are just happy to see you. Cats who have a strong bond with their pet parents tend to purr more around their humans.
Why Cats Purr
Cats purr for a plethora of reasons. One of the most surprising ways they utilize the purr is to heal themselves and their humans. Most cat purrs vibrate at frequencies between 20 Hz and 140 Hz, which parallels with the healing frequencies in various therapeutic medical techniques for humans.
Purr vibrations can heal the following:
- Infections
- Swelling
- Bone healing
- Bone growth
- Pain relief
- Muscle growth
- Muscle repair
- Tendon repair
- Joint mobility
Cats are also empathetic creatures. They know when you are upset, and they long to comfort you. They will come to you, sit on your lap, and purr to heal you. For the most part, cats will purr while they are feeling good.
Other Reasons Why Cats Purr
There are some other reasons why cats purr. Sometimes they use their purr to communicate something different than contentment. The following are some of them:
They Are Hungry or Want Something
Some cats purr when it is time to eat. Researchers have studied the difference between the purr they make when hungry and the purr they make when they are happy. The two different purrs do not sound the same.
When a cat purrs for food, they will often combine their usual purr with a discontented cry. It will sound something like a baby crying. Experts think that people respond more to this sound.
Kitten – Mother Bond
Kittens will typically begin to purr when they are two days old. They are most likely letting their mother know that they feel safe and sound.
Mama cats respond to the purr, and she protects her babies. She will also use the purr to soothe her babies gently.
Relief and Healing
Research has demonstrated that purring helps heal cats. This healing could be why cats are more likely to survive after falling from high places, and they also do not typically have as many complications from surgery as dogs do.
Cats will often purr during labor, as this is self-medicating to them and helps with pain control. Cats also use purring as a stress-reducing tool.
How Cats Heal Us
Cats heal humans with the vibrations of their purr. Studies have shown that the cat’s purr can lower your blood pressure. It can also decrease the risk of heart disease. Research indicates that cat owners have a 40 percent less risk of having a heart attack.
It has also been suggested that owning a pet, such as a cat, can help heal commonplace mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. Cats can do wonders for your health, both physical and mental.
The cat’s purr is an effective therapy tool for both cats and humans. Purring produces helpful low-frequency vibrations that are healing. See the chart below for the frequency of cat purring and what it heals.
| AMOUNT OF PURRING Hz | WHAT DOES THIS DO |
| 25 – 50 Hz | Healing and Building Bone |
| 26 Hz | Reduces Blood Pressure and Lowers Stress |
| 20 – 50 Hz | Reduces Pain, Improves Quality of Sleep |
| 100 Hz | Healing Soft Tissues |
| 8 – 13 Hz | Decreases Anxiety, Promotes Relaxation |
| 25 – 140 Hz | Helps with Breathing Difficulty |
What is the Most Common Means of Communication in Cats?
In 1895, cats were starting to become domesticated. Professor Alphonse Leon Grimaldi wrote an essay on how cats communicate with humans in their special language. Before 1895, cats were only thought of as mice catchers, and that was strictly their job.
They were not loved or brought into the home the way they deserved. More than a century has passed, and cats are brought into families’ homes and are treated like royalty. Cats bond with their guardians and enjoy lots of pets and belly rubs.
Cats know how to communicate their wishes to their people. They know how to ask for everything from food to love. Some experts still surmise that humans can understand that certain cat noises.
The most common misconception of cats is that they only purr when they are happy. Experts believe that cats also purr when they are anxious or in pain.
Another typical behavior of cats is that they love to head-butt their humans to express that they are happy to be with them.
Others believe that the loving head butt is your cat’s way of marking you as their own. As in “You belong to me!” Cats also communicate through their eyes, tail, and body posture. If your cat feels happy, content, and confident, they will wag their tail in the air.
However, if your cat is agitated, they will likely thump their tail on the ground in frustration. When your cat rolls over and shows their belly, they are telling you that they trust you. It has also been observed that when a cat blinks their eyes at you slowly, that means that they love you.
How Do Cats Communicate With Each Other?
Have you ever wondered if cats communicate with other cats? There are three significant ways that cats communicate with each other:
Vocalization
When kittens are first born, they interact with their mother to communicate their needs. When cats become adults, they do not typically meow at each other. They save this form of communication for their humans.
When two cats meet each other, the more dominant one will hiss at the other. Sometimes the other cat will hiss back.
They are attempting to establish dominance. This supremacy is their way of competing for a position. Cats will also hiss at each other when sparring to figure out who the more dominant cat is.
Body Language
When a cat licks the head of another cat, it is a pleasant greeting. The memory of their mother grooming them instills a feeling of love in cats, and this is how they demonstrate their affection to other cats.
Sometimes one cat will roll over on its back and expose their belly to another cat. This reveal is an invitation to play. The cat on its back feels comfortable with the other one.
When cats sleep back-to-back or next to each other, it demonstrates the bond between them. It is the cat’s way of saying that they love and accept each other.
Scent
This is an interesting way that cats communicate with each other. Cats rub their heads against each other and the side of their bodies.
They leave pheromones and oils from their scent glands situated on their foreheads, cheeks, and chins when they do this. They also swap scents when their bodies and tails brush against each other.
The majority of cat-to-cat interaction is through their body language. A lot more needs to be researched to understand how cats communicate with each other.
Conclusion
Cats communicate with us in an assortment of ways. When they purr, they could be saying many different things to you. Each purr or meow means something different. As a cat parent, it is up to you to know what your pet communicates with you.