Cats are notorious for being cold, unpredictable and generally less friendly than dogs (just ask any cat owner when they last got an unprovoked scratch to the face).
But even cats have their good days, and it makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside when they purr at us like a little vibrating ball of fur.
We assume purring = happy cat. But is that the full story?
WIRED spoke to the experts to find out.
The simple answer is, well, to get our attention.
Gudrun Ravetz, president of the British Veterinary Association, says that cats purr to communicate with us.
"Dogs wag their tails and cats purr. Most of the time, it's because they are content and happy," she says.
Anita Kelsey, a cat behaviourist, agrees it all comes back to kitties' desire to have a chat with us. It generally happens when kittens are suckling or close to their mothers, or when they are near humans and enjoying it.
Even though imagining cats purring peacefully to themselves is, frankly adorable, they don't actually do it when they are alone. This is why we know that they are using it as a form of communication.
But Ravetz and Kelsey both warn that not all purrs are happy ones and cats also purr to calm themselves down.
"They can purr when ill and this could be as a communication that they need reassurance or as a self-comfort mechanism," Kelsey says.
Cats can even purr when they are giving birth, and if they are feeling anxious, most often when they are on the way to the vet, says Ravetz.
Unsurprisingly, cats are very attention-seeking and that's usually the reason they are being vocal, says Kelsey.
So cats purr to express their feelings, (even though they may act nonchalant, they actually have them), which could be anything from "I feel great" to "help me".
It's not rocket science, you just need to pay attention to the context of the purr, say our experts.
"You should be able to guess how they are feeling by the situation they are in. If they are curled up on your knee, purring away, then it's safe to assume they are a content kitty," Ravetz says.
Yet if they are in the car on the way to the vets, don't assume they are just enjoying the ride; they could be feeling anxious.
Kelsey also notes that actions speak louder than words.
"If a cat is meowing at the door it probably wants to go outside or there's something outside it wants to get too; if a cat is crying in the kitchen it wants food," she says.
If you want to please your cat, you better get to know its tones.
Cats have their own unique purr like we have our own distinct voice, says Ravetz, which means one cat's purr won't sound like another's.
They will also alter the tone of the purr dependant on what they want to vocalise, says Kelsey.
"Cats have different vocal tones for different outcomes such as meowing for food to meowing for the door to be open. These tones all differ amongst individual cats and can be recognised by their owners on most occasions," she says.
We've all been there – purring or meowing at a cat to try and get them on our side. But do they have a clue what we are trying to do?
Sadly, Ravetz thinks not. Instead, it's more likely that we are confusing them because we are very bad at purring. That's because when we try and purr, we use our tongues or vibrate our lips, but cats flicker their larynx and move the diaphragm – meaning we are talking a whole different language to them.
The good news is that while they might not understand us, it's still worthwhile trying to communicate with your cat.
Kelsey says her husband always purrs at their furry pet.
"My husband does this all the time. He tries to purr back to our cats when they are getting quality strokes and belly rubs. Both cats and husband are purring (husband making bad trill sounds) and it becomes quite intrusive after a while. I have no idea if they understand what the hell my husband is doing but they enjoy his attention and physical contact," she says.
So cats may just humour us when we make strange noises at them. But if you do want your cat to understand you, the best way to do so is through your body language and tone of voice, says Ravetz.
"If we are in a relaxed state, stroking them and using a gentle tone, that's more important than purring – even though doing that makes us feel better!"
Pretty important – but they aren't the only ways cats communicate with us.
Ravetz says that their body language tells us more about how they are feeling – purring is just what humans latch on to.
Hungry and horny cats make a lot of noise too.
"Cats also cry when they want food, and can be quite vocal when in season – they will wail loudly for a male cat."
They are also very expressive with their face and ears, so Ravetz gave a quick crash course on what to look out for (to avoid a cat-attack).
A crouching cat with flattened ears is one that feels threatened and can potentially strike (uh-oh), so it's one to be aware of, she says.
An attentive, happy cat is one which is sitting upright, with relaxed ears that stick up.
"Cats are very good communicators and their faces and body can tell us whether they are happy or anxious, about to pounce and whether it feels safe and happy," she says.
And what about when cats pad you with their feet for five years before settling down? That just means they are staking their territory and getting comfy, whether on a lap, bed or other random location they have decided to own.
Ravetz is unsure. She guesses that cats may have learnt that the more they purr, the more strokes they get. But she's really just clutching at (cat) hairs with that one.
Kelsey offers a similar suggestion. "I would think a cat has always had the ability to purr but the human-to-cat meows evolved over time once they realised every meow got them what they wanted."
Therefore, cats know that purring will help them get their own way – and a purring/meowing combo is used when they want feeding.
"They've learnt that you're in control of their feeding, so they adapted those noises to mean 'I want something'," Ravetz says.
Surprisingly, it isn't just pet cats that purr. Cheetahs have been known to as well.
Unsurprisingly, a Cheetah's purr is a lot louder than a pet cat's, Kelsey says.
Other big cats stick to roars because their flexible larynx bone means they physically cannot purr.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
