# Do kitty cats control purring or is it involuntary? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 26, 2020, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-kitty-cats-control-purring-or-is-it-involuntary/854476 "2020-05-26T03:54:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-kitty-cats-control-purring-or-is-it-involuntary/854476/1 "2020-05-26T03:54:10Z")
Hello Everyone, I’m sitting here petting our kitty as he’s purring away. I’m just wondering, Is his purring something he consciously controls or is it involuntary? ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-kitty-cats-control-purring-or-is-it-involuntary/854476/2 "2020-05-26T04:01:14Z")
about purring actually im told both … they can do it to get attention but it just comes naturally when they get emotional … now if they can start pouring well I’m in trouble as they can help themselves to the food bac … ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-kitty-cats-control-purring-or-is-it-involuntary/854476/3 "2020-05-26T04:47:32Z")
Arrrg, pouring=purring. Stupid auto correct. I missed the edit window. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-kitty-cats-control-purring-or-is-it-involuntary/854476/4 "2020-05-26T10:39:33Z")
> [@obbn](#): > > Arrrg, pouring=purring. Stupid auto correct. I missed the edit window. Fixed. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-kitty-cats-control-purring-or-is-it-involuntary/854476/5 "2020-05-26T12:41:42Z")
Postgrad students write theses on this stuff. There is even debate about how they make the noise. Basically, of course, they are actually aliens (cats - not students) who landed in Egypt about five centuries ago and set about enslaving the human race. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-kitty-cats-control-purring-or-is-it-involuntary/854476/6 "2020-05-26T12:49:09Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > Postgrad students write theses on this stuff. There is even debate about how they make the noise. Basically, of course, they are actually aliens (cats - not students) who landed in Egypt about five centuries ago and set about enslaving the human race. I have it on excellent authority (i.e. my cat) that the entire reason humans evolved was to take care of cats. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-kitty-cats-control-purring-or-is-it-involuntary/854476/7 "2020-05-26T12:53:51Z")
Since one-week-old kittens can purr, it seems safe to say it does not necessarily require too much deliberate intent. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-kitty-cats-control-purring-or-is-it-involuntary/854476/8 "2020-05-26T12:53:59Z")
**Bob++** , I think they’ve been around a little longer than 500 years. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-kitty-cats-control-purring-or-is-it-involuntary/854476/9 "2020-05-26T13:12:12Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Fixed. Thank you ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-kitty-cats-control-purring-or-is-it-involuntary/854476/10 "2020-05-26T13:29:14Z")
[The Master Speaks](https://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/9/why-do-cats-purr-why-do-cheshire-cats-grin/), which almost answers your question. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-kitty-cats-control-purring-or-is-it-involuntary/854476/11 "2020-05-26T22:56:59Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > **Bob++** , I think they’ve been around a little longer than 500 years. 🙂 Oops - five millennia. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-kitty-cats-control-purring-or-is-it-involuntary/854476/12 "2020-05-27T00:19:57Z")
My 2 Siamese cats don’t purr alot. When the dryer is on they are in the cat bed. They purr so loud it surprises people. Meeko purrs more than Bear. I have heard her purr at her favorite food while she’s eating. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-kitty-cats-control-purring-or-is-it-involuntary/854476/13 "2020-05-27T11:47:13Z")
Note that purring could be both involuntary and subject to control. This is the case for breathing in humans - and probably many other animals.