Cats are very interesting animals. They have certain behavioral habits which, although confusing to their owners, have explanatory reasons. One such act is purring. People wonder why their pets purr - does it just mean they are happy or is there more to it than that?
Why do cats purr? Cats communication using purring. A kitten and its mother will purr as a sign of comfort and, after this, the kitten will continue the behavior through its life. Cats usually purr when something pleases them or when they feel safe and comfortable. It is known also that an anxious cat or one at death's door might purr too, obviously for different reasons. Purring is interesting because no one is really sure how the cat's body produces the sound. It might be because of blood moving through the blood vessels. It might be because of soft palate vibrations. Cat purring has been tested electromyographically, to show the electrical activity in the muscles of the cat. This could indicate that purring is caused when the muscles of the larynx, containing the vocal chords, are activated. the larynx partially closing, or glottis, could be responsible for the purring sounds. Face rubbing Cats rub their chins, cheeks and bodies on everything. It might feel good to them but that is not the primary reason for this behavior. Cats have scent glands located on their lips, chins, mouths and foreheads. They might rub against their owner as a form of greeting or when trying to communicate something, such as a request for food. Cats in a group will rub against one another to swap their scents. Cats together have a 'colony scent' which is useful for detecting intruders. If you bring a cat back from the veterinarian, the other cats in the colony might growl or hiss because of the unfamiliar scents on the returned cat. Cats recognize one another largely through their heightened sense of smell. Why does my cat scratch things? Cats like to scratch (or 'strop') all sorts of things. Obviously you would prefer your cat to scratch a tree or its scratching post rather than your best sofa. A cat deprived of a tree or scratching post will strop its claws on whatever it can. Scratching gets rid of loose nail sheath parts which cover the growing claws. Cats also have scent glands located in their paws and the act of scratching will leave the cat's scent on whatever they scratch, to mark it as part of the cat's territory. If a cat is declawed, it will still try to scratch at things, even though they have no claws to sharpen. This could be inbuilt habit or maybe the cat wants to leave its scent on the thing it is scratching. Cat furniture gives your cat a personal item to scratch on while saving your favorite furniture. Why does my cat knead things? Cats often knead your lap before they will lie down. In fact, they often knead any surface they plan to lie down on. Kneading is when a cat extends the claws on its front two paws and digs them into the surface which an alternating rhythmic motion. Kneading (also known as milk tread) is first used in kitten hood. When a kitten is sucking at its mother's teats, it extends its legs and kneads the area around the teat. This makes the milk flow out faster. Perhaps as adults, a cat continues this behavior because it feels happy and safe and associates the comfort and joy of lying on your lap with the happiness he shared with his mother. Kneading can also be a sign of good cat health .
* Courtesy of David Lee