A Wonderleaf question
Why do cats purr?
a real page from the book
Cats purr when throat muscles make their voice box vibrate as they breathe. They often do it when they feel good, but purring can also steady them during pain, fear, or birth. It is not only happiness; it is communication and self-soothing.
Newborn kittens cannot use sight or hearing at first, so a mother's rumble can guide them toward warmth and milk through touch. Researchers also study purr frequencies because certain vibrations may support bone and tissue repair, a tidy bonus inside purring.
Wonder words
- vibration
- frequency
- larynx
- repair
Try it out
Tonight, rest one hand near your cat's chest during a purr and feel how the sound becomes a tiny vibration.
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