There is some debate about the weather that big cats like lions and tigers can purr.
In fact, there is some debate on this topic in the scientific community. Some biologists claim that big cats like lions and tigers cannot purr, because they have adapted special physical characteristics to be able to roar, which prevents them from purring. Others believe that big cats purr and purr, though they may not sound exactly like house cats. Study of big cats in a variety of environments seems to confirm the second theory, that they purr for many of the same reasons as smaller cats.
Lions are said to purr to communicate with kittens.
The exact mechanism of the purr is not fully understood. This is believed to be accomplished by using the hyoid bone, a small flexible bone located in the neck. When the cat pushes air through the larynx, it jars the hyoid bone, creating a distinctive sound. Purring can also be caused by false vocal cords, located just behind the cat’s real vocal cords. The debate over how cats purr has greatly complicated the question of whether or not big cats can purr.
Some argue that only the smallest cats are capable of purring.
Biologists who believe that big cats cannot purr generally support the hyoid bone theory. They argue that big cats have evolved a slightly different hyoid bone, which is less flexible and therefore capable of serving as the mechanism behind the roar. However, the sacrifice of flexibility meant that the hyoid could not be used for purring. However, other biologists believe that big cats can actually purr, although they can only do so by exhaling, rather than continuously, like a domestic cat or smaller cat breeds. This can be achieved through limited vibration of the hyoid or false vocal cords.
The purr that big cats make certainly sounds different than the sound of smaller cats. It sounds like a cough or a growl, which may have confused whether or not big cats actually purr. Both lions and tigers purr when in a group and also use noise to communicate with kittens. Like a smaller cat, large cats’ purrs can resonate at a frequency that promotes healing, which explains why cats make this sound when they’re hurt or distressed.
Many textbooks state that only small cats, members of the Felix genus, can purr. However, it appears that cats in the Panthera genus, such as lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars, do as well. He also believed that these big cats could not purr while meowing, growling, or eating, unlike smaller cats.