When cats purr, is it voluntary? Or can they not control it?

One of those questions about animals that scientists really can't figure out...but if you know anything about this, please tell! :)


Thanks,


~~Ali. :)When cats purr, is it voluntary? Or can they not control it?
They can't control it. it is a vibration of cartalidge in the back of it's throat. When they are scared, they purr, and when they are happy they purr. With big cats, they cant purr. They have a bone that vibrates instead of cartalidge, so they roar.When cats purr, is it voluntary? Or can they not control it?
I read somewhere that cats often purr as a way to signal to others (animals or people) that they are being non-threatening, it may be that it has evolved in this way but they obviously do it when they are happy too, so it's linked with their emotions also.





Cats that are in pain will often purr and in that situation it seems to be a distress signal, like crying in humans.
I don't think it's voluntary. I have read that when they feel any ';strong emotion'; they will purr. However, I haven't found any conclusive information on how they purr. I've heard everything from the aforementioned cartilage theory, to one theory that says the sound comes from blood hitting the aorta. Wikipedia mentions both of these theories if you look under ';purr';. It's inconclusive, but quite interesting. Here is the link......
they can control they can turn on and off when it fits them and no one else.