A purr is a sound made by all species of felids and is a part of cat communication. It varies between cats (for example by loudness and tone), and from species to species, but can be characterized as a tonal buzzing. Domestic cats purr in a frequency of 25 to 150 vibrations per second.

Although purring is commonly associated with felids, other animals such as raccoons purr. Other purring animals are: Guinea pigs in heat, rabbits, squirrels, ring-tailed lemurs, elephants while eating, and gorillas while eating. Despite being a universally recognized phenomenon, the mechanism by which cats purr is elusive.

This is partly because the cat has no obvious anatomical feature unique to it that would be responsible. One hypothesis, backed by electromyographic studies, is that cats produce the purring noise by fast twitching of the muscles in their larynx, which rapidly dilate and constrict the glottis, causing air vibrations during inhalation and exhalation. Combined with the steady inhalation and exhalation of air as the cat breathes, a purring noise is produced with strong harmonics.

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