Link to Column: Why do cats purr? Why do Cheshire cats grin? – CKDH
Just wanted to let you know that I have a Cheshire cat. No I am not Nuts, but what a Chesihire cat really is is a Full breed of British-bi colors. They can be black and white (like mine) or brown and white. The main thing about this breed is it’s personality. They have that Chseshire quality that we joke about (myself included) They are bashful cats but once you get to know them they are loyal to a T. They do a particular “chirp” noise almost like a cooing but not anywhere close to a normal meow. They are very strong and built like a British Boxer. “BJ” is not fat but big boned. Her leg bone is about the same circumfrence as a childs wrist. Now the neat thing is that they have such a sense of pride. Just like the Cheshire in Alice and Wonderland if my cat does something a bit taboo or embarrassing they quickly look around and run to hide to recover from their “moment”. A real Cheshire has the rareist bloodtype for a cat. In fact for years she had been listed for emergency vets to draw blood from her to save another cat. Kind of like a unaversal donor. They are not known to be lap-cats but they are never ones to turn down a good rub-down. Her fur is as soft as a rabbits and her eyes tend to change from bright green to a bland yellow depending on her mood. Another way to spot a “Cheshire” is their jowels. They have what looks like a huge neck, but they are just a part of her breeding that kept in tact from evolutionary type generations. Back in England hundreds of years ago, this breed were used mainly for mousers. They were also more street-like and smart, not easily bullied. Now-a-days they are appretiated for their wit, smarts and jokes. When I had a dog, Bj would just sit on the couch and intentionally drop her tail and quickly yank it up once the dog tried to catch it. She tortured that dog for the heck of it for nearly an hour till I had to just carry her into the other room for te dog was getting a complex. Though I no longer have the dog she still comes up with her practical jokes to amuse me and my huband. Anyway, a Cheshire is a REAL cat but it is a common nick-name given to a particualr breed that looked, smiled, apeared and disapeared on their own accord with much smarts and wit. Now that I have a “Cheshire”, I can honestly say they are the best breed of cat I have ever owned and will always have one in the house. If you see commercials for cat food you will probably see a black and white cat Brit because they are easy animals that go with the flow and used frequently in movies or commercials. They can be easily trained as far as cats go. And,if they around other animals like dogs or other cats, if as a kitten-no prob, but as an adult they will have no problem ajusting or communicating their dis-like but will also express that they will tolarate it.
Now for my theory on purring. I had read once that a cat’s lungs are full of fluid like substance. They may lay on their back to strech or what-not but can’t stay there long because in a sense they could possibly drown. After reading this on the internet about a cats physiology, I relized how simple this could be. This water in their lungs are there for ever…never goes away. I’ve had pnemonia as other people we know who had have it. When you are around them, if they talk it can be raspy or purr like. Pnemonia is fluid or a buildup of something in the lungs. So, if a cat had adapted itself in an evolutional way to live with fluid constantly on their lungs their whole life, could we be able to do the same thing thousands of years down the road. Yes this a very abstract thought and I may be called obtuse, but it is just from watching cats and people for 20 years. Maybe when a cat purrs, it is just their fluid in their lungs vibrating no matter what a mood the cat may be in.
I do enjoy your colemns, and though I will not subscribe (can’t afford it), I do encourage the work you do. 
Sincerely,
Athena15