The Manipulative Purr
Adventures with cats
Hatfield and McCoy came to live with us a a couple of weeks ago. The little siblings are soft as silk and adorable. Both came with internal motors that can be heard across the room when they get going.
Science doesn’t seem to know exactly what a purr is or what it does. WEBMD explains a scientific view on how cats purr… “it starts in the brain” they say “A rhythmic, repetitive neural oscillator sends messages to the laryngeal muscles, causing them to twitch at the rate of 25 to 150 vibrations per second (Hz).”
My theory is that the purr serves a singular purpose — disarm and control humans.
Despite the stereotype cats don’t simply purr when they are happy or relaxed.
The cats, Hattie and McCoy, don’t have free run of the house yet. At night and when unsupervised they have a safe, spacious bathroom. Collecting the kittens up as the humans prepare for bed often involves scooping them up and demonstrates the idiom “herding cats”.
Once sequestered everything is calm but the playful kittens would prefer to keep scampering and become evasive. Generally, Hatfield purrs more frequently and louder but McCoy’s response to being scooped up is immediate wriggles toward escape and loud, disarming purring.
The cute quotient is off the charts when McCoy turns on the purr magically loosing my hold on him. His soft kitten fur and calming purring remind me of Lorelei Sirens. I don’t just hear the calming purr I feel the gentle vibrations which bring out my empathy. A natural relaxant.
Cats purr when they are pleased with their humans but they also purr when they feel uncertain or want something. Some purrs are flirty or playful and I think some purrs are rewards for good behavior. While we treat train kittens they purr train us.
To substantiate my theory that purring is a tool of manipulation here’s an article on something called the purr-cry:
For a bit more on purring check out this article in WIRED or this one from BBC FUTURE.
More Tales of Christmas Cats Hatfield and McCoy April Bair
