General Chat

Why you can't ignore a cat's power of purr-suasion
Feed me: A cat's purr can apparently coax owners into giving them what they want
We're wise to the plaintive miaow, the pleading eyes and the soft prod from a paw.

But it seems that cats have developed even more cunning ways of wrapping us around their little claws.

Scientists have discovered that they are able to coax owners into giving them what they want by using a special purr that the human brain just can't ignore.

The subliminal 'feed me' messages are disguised as ordinary 'contented' purrs but have a high-pitched element that triggers a sense of urgency, just like the cry of a baby.

A study into the phenomenon was carried out by University of Sussex psychologist Dr Karen McComb, whose own cat Pepo constantly woke her up in the mornings with insistent purring.

'I wondered why this purring sounded so annoying and was so difficult to ignore,' she said.

'Talking with other cat owners, I found that some of them also had cats who showed similar behaviour.'
Dr McComb, who reports the findings in the journal Current Biology, asked cat owners to record the purrs of ten hungry and recently fed cats.

She then asked 50 human volunteers to listen to the purrs and describe which ones they found most annoying.

The volunteers said the purrs from hungry cats were far more unpleasant. Dr McComb found that these urgent purrs contained a hidden high-pitched element.

'This purr is more frenetic and intense, and it can be more rattly,' she said.

'Not every cat does it – it does tend to be cats that have close relationships with their owners. They can keep it up for hours and it wears you down.'

She said that a miaowing cat is more likely to get kicked out of a room. But a cat that adapts its normal purr to be subtly irritating may end up getting its own way.

Cats purr by twitching the vocal folds in their voice boxes.


Clever things aren't they? A bit like those people who know how to wheedle their way round their other halves lol

Lizx

One of my cats was not so subtle, he used to bite me on the ankle or foot when he was hungry. Drew blood many times.

He was a rescue cat and had a hard life before we got him. When he would bite I would not feed him and would spray him with water, never broke him doing it though, but he toned down and would only give a little nibble.

When MIL would visit we had to lock him in a room as she was terrified of him, as soon as she pulled up in the car he would jump on her car bonnet and sit staring at her. He also had bitten many people on the bottom.

Same cat did not leave my side for the three months I was in bed after my accident, he would only get up when I did and cuddled up an purred consistently. He was so gentle then and was until the day he passed on.

Gail

Gail, I think animals sense when they are needed to be gentle and caring same as some humans. They can also sense when someone is nervous of them and respond in different ways to that. I am glad your cat was such a comfort to you at a time when you needed it.
Had to laugh at the biting bottomns tho, have never known a cat do that before lol Must have been painful and a nasty surprise for those getting that treatment, also you getting bitten too. I am glad you managed to tone down the actions.

Catch you later,
take care
Lizxxx

Have you started the knitting yet? You could knit your chooks some winter woolies, you know there is a pattern on here somewhere lol

Liz, no way will I knit 29 jumpers and spares for my hens and 4 for my roosters. I would have to wash them everyday as the love getting in the mud when it rains. They all have their winter feathers as well.

Puss had his own chair near the kitchen fire, If anyone stood in front of his chair thats when he would bite. Very embarrassing at times, he was also a character. Had a sign on the front gate "Beware of the cat",

Gail

Once again, we have scientists wasting time and money.

They only had to ask any cat "owner" to be told thay are all firmly wrapped around their paws.

We all know that, although cats can't speak like us, they really can communicate, I always know exactly what my boys' want, and if they don't get it at once , certainly let me know!!

Yes we know what our boy wants, especially at night, when we are watching TV and he wants to go to bed,. OH and I know if he knew how to shut the TV down he would. He goes around it, and looks up at it, as if to say, how can I switch this b thing off.

As for the purring, he does this, but another thing he does is hiss and growl until he gets our attention. He had his tail injured when a kitten, and he used to hiss and growl at it, as I suppose it hurt. We used to say never mind, whats the matter lovely boy etc. So I suppose he wants this said to him again.
He has always stayed with us all the time, if we have been ill, and when we go out he comes in and I think he thinks he is a guard pussy garding the house. He sits in front of the cat flap so no other cat can get in.

We love him..

Mo

pmsl

ya wanna here my blind one when he wants you to know were
he is!!!! or its time to get up!!!

oriental one jus as bad but luckily latest edition is a bit mute!!

example of norty oriental cat

was jus getting me washing in.......yepp he,s in the bag.....

chucked him out so he squots & aims over me peg pot.....

shooee him away wiv bag so he sprays over me baby sunflower.....

we cant leave anything lieing around coz he marks everything!!!

before you ask yepp he been done & he,s 15yrs

jus a complete b*****d...
but he got a lovely side too

poshpixie, sorry, had to laugh altho that marking can be very smelly and annoying. My tomcat, also done, sprayed one of a pair of brand new cream velvet full length curtains when a workman accidentally shut him in my bedroom, years ago now. They were never the same!

Lizx

Yes, there is definite a difference in the tone of the purr. The one which starts around feeding time has more urgency in it and drives me mad until I get up and get her meal - even though there is dry food, milk and water already in the dishes - it's not the same and she attacks it like she is ravenous.

When I reach out during the night and touch her, the purring then is much more subdued and mellow. Maybe she thinks that she is singing me back to sleep!

Yes, I just hope the taxpayers weren't paying for those university results.