If your cat purrs, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s happy!
As we know, the cat’s purr provides many benefits to our body: not only does it calm us down, but it also literally lowers our blood pressure, which helps reduce our stress. But what are the effects of purring on cats themselves? For what purpose do they produce this vibration? Do they purr only when they feel good?
1. It feels good
Most often, it’s when your cat feels good that it will start purring. And for good reason, this behavior was transmitted to them by their mother who, when it was a kitten, began to purr to tell their little ones that they were safe. Now it also purrs naturally when you cuddle them and it feels happy and protected.
2. It is stressed
What is less known is that cats can also purr when stressed or frightened. The purr will then, as on us, manage to soothe their anxieties and thus contribute to calming them and reducing their stress.
3. It is hungry
If your cat is hungry and sees that you are about to feed it, it will purr. The reason is very simple: the arrival of his future meal gives them a feeling of well-being that triggers purring.
4. It is sick
If your cat is sick or in pain somewhere, it will purr to soothe the pain. If you notice that your cat is purring regularly “for no reason”, it may be more prudent to consult a veterinarian for a check-up. Only it can determine if your cat is experiencing pain in one or more parts of his body.
5. It wants to communicate
If you have two cats at home and one of them suddenly starts purring when it is next to their congener, it is probably to reassure the latter. Indeed, purring is also a means of communication between cats.
This dull, regular noise allows your cat to communicate its own well-being to the cats around it. But it can also mean that your cat is in a position of inferiority compared to the other feline, and that it wishes to indicate its peaceful intentions to the dominant cat.
