Why Do Kittens Purr When They Sleep

Feline snoring can sound similar to purring to the untrained ear.

Why do kittens purr when they sleep. It s probably a way to let their mothers know where they are or that they re ok. A cat can be snoozing deeply on your lap or in her bed eye closed paws twitching in a dream and still be purring. Cats purr regardless of whether they appear to be sleeping or not for several reasons. Well because it s what they re born to do.

While this is typically normal behavior for cats in some cases it might be an indication of a health issue. Cats may purr to feel better or heal. They purr for healing hunger pain nervousness and joy. Head pressing can be induced by hydrocephalus tumors in the brain head trauma or inflammatory types of meningitis and encephalitis.

Cats may also purr in their sleep because they are relaxed and comfortable. Purring in cats is usually activated in the morning or before sleep and accompanied by head butting for caresses and rubbing all over the body or face. If your cat is lying there with closed eyes breathing evenly and purring they may not be sleeping at all. Head pressing can occur when the cat is awake while sleeping and even while eating.

Purring also helps a kitten bond with its mother. Kittens can purr when they re only a few days old. They continue purring as if it is part of their subconscious brain. Kittens and mothers purr when they are bonding.

It is usually normal for cats to be sound asleep but still be purring. There is no single reason why a sleeping cat purrs. Experts suspect that s how they send their mother the message that they are okay and how their mother soothes them. In other words the frequency of cats purring when sleeping helps them repair tendons ease breathing as well as lessen swelling and pain.

There are also other reports that cats purring releases endorphins that help reduce pain when the healing process takes place. Cats very often continue purring after they ve fallen asleep. Your feline fur baby may purr when they feel better or heal. Mother cats purr to lead their kittens which are blind and deaf when they re born to them for food.

It may be snoring though. One probable reason why cats purr when they sleep is that part of their brain which controls the purr reflex may still be active. If your cat is in a deep sleep it will lack the ability to purr. Cats start purring and hearing purring from infancy.

In this case the purring of a cat is a communication channel used when practically there are no other ways to do it they simply know how do cats purr.