How cats actually purr: A new study

Even the simplest things can be quite amazing sometimes, and it's interesting to know more about what causes them.

For instance, cats' purring turns out to be more complicated than we used to think before.

Let's find out more on what scientists have managed to discover.

How it was detected

A recent study led by voice scientist Christian T. Herbst from the University of Vienna, published in Current Biology, has uncovered new details about how cats make their purring sounds. 

Cats are known for making different sounds like meowing and screeching, and these usually come from their voice box or larynx. 

However, cat purrs were thought to be special and produced in a unique way. 

It's not how we used to think

Past research suggested that purrs were created by muscles in the vocal folds contracting and relaxing in a cycle, controlled by the brain. 

The new study, conducted in a controlled lab experiment, challenges this idea. 

It reveals that cats can make their purring sounds without this cyclical muscle activity, similar to a human vocalizing with "creaky voice" or "vocal fry." 

The study suggests that a special 'pad' in the cat's vocal folds might be responsible for producing these low-frequency purring sounds. 

This discovery challenges previous beliefs about how cats purr and calls for more research to fully understand this feline vocalization.
 

• Related news:
• research
• cats
• purring
• 25 November 2023

---