Do cats purr on purpose?

How cats purr

I’m dubious about some of the points in this article in Scientific Amican about why they purr.

@syz Interesting article but I, too, am dubious. Cats purr to promote bone healing? Really? Then why not do it all the time? They do it when they are being stroked and are often similarly stroking the stroker in return. That sure looks like a pleasure signal in my book. Do cats purr when they rub against a scratching post? I don’t think so. (Maybe a cat owner can fill me in.)

Do cats purr on purpose?

Here’s a cutaway drawing that explains most if not all.
http://www.savagechickens.com/2013/10/why-do-cats-purr.html

It is true!
Vibrations have healing properties. I have a friend that does Tibetian prayer bowl healing work. I have them as well, bronze and glass and also a huge temple gong. Bruuuuung!
Cats will purr for many reasons, from contentment to anxiety and even when they are in pain.
I think there is more than a splinter of truth to these findings, yes I do,

@boffin Haha awesome! :D
@LuckyGuy Well, that depends on the cat. Mine doesn’t even like scratching poles, he hasn’t ever used one, or any other cat toys. He prefers the couch (I know…)
But he does purr when he rubs against tables, phones, doors, my leg, pretty much anything in the house.

edit: I meant posts, scratching posts, he’s not a pole dancing cat. It would be fun, though.

I liked pole dancing cat better!

No no. It’s involuntary, like orgasm. The difference between cats and us is that cats’ whole bodies are erogenous zones. Touch the cat anywhere and unless you’re hurting it, it orgasms. Lucky we’re not like that or we’d never get any office work done.

wild cats purr when in pain.. it is unknown why house cats purr but it can be their way of engaging with this talkative creature called humans.