 Cats have some interesting vocalizations when communicating, and purring is one of the cutest and most endearing noises that a cat can make. Typically associated with happiness and contentment, a cat's purr often reassures owners that their feline friend is loving its life. As such, one of the times you may notice your cat purring the most is when you pet them. Usually, this is their way of saying they love your cuddles and feel super happy and calm around you. However, noticing your cat purring while sleeping is another common sight. But this leaves owners with one question, why do cats purr when they sleep? Most of the time, a cat purring while sleeping is another sign of pure relaxation, contentment, and happiness. When dozing on the couch or sleeping on your lap, your cat feels at ease and is communicating this through its purr. However, purring while sleeping can also be a sign that they are dreaming, self-healing, or bonding with other cats. In this video, I'll discuss all the different reasons why cats purr while they sleep and other times you might notice your cat letting out this adorable rumbling noise. But first, I will start by discussing how a cat purrs in the first place so you can comprehensively understand what's going on and why. How Does A Cat Physically Purr? Before I get into the reason why cats purr when they sleep, I want to answer the following questions, how do cats purr? What is the mechanism behind this adorable noise? And do cats have control over when they purr? The typical purring sound is the result of vibrations in your cat's larynx, otherwise known as their voice box. This organ is located in your feline's neck and is surrounded by laryngeal muscles. When purring, these muscles quickly relax and contract at a rate of 25-150 times per minute. As the laryngeal muscles constrict and dilate, this causes the vocal cords to separate. At the same time, the diaphragm moves up and down simultaneously with the movement of the laryngeal muscles and creates the purring sound we know and love. The number of vibrations per minute determines the sound level and tone of the purr, which is why some cats purrs can sound different from one another. They're happy in content. Although there are no major threats for domestic cats, the behavior of wild cats persists. One such behavior is when cats sleep. In the wild, cats will typically sleep more in safe areas, free from predators and other threats. Why? Well, when asleep, a cat is in one of its most vulnerable states. If anything was to come and startle your cat while they are in dreamland, they will face a bigger threat than if they were awake, alert, and ready to either pounce or run away. Although our domestic felines don't face any real threats, your cat is still more likely to fall asleep if they feel relaxed and safe within your home. Additionally, if your cat is napping, it is unlikely that they are stressed on in pain. Again, this stems from wild behavior that has been passed on down through generations and is similar to human behavior. Do you struggle to sleep when stressed? Does a painful stomach, headache, or cough keep you up at night? The same is true for cats. Considering these two facts, the main reason cats purr when sleeping is that they're happy in content. To sleep they likely feel comfortable and free from stress and pain. Combined with the fact that they're purring, this can give you even more reassurance your kitty is simply having a lovely and relaxing night sleep. Hello. This video is sponsored by Beemix Pets. Are you looking for high quality cat collars at an affordable cost? Check out BeemixPets.com. Use coupon code KittenLife, to get 20% off. They're dreaming. Did you know that cats dream? That's right, dreaming is not only a human trait. Cats can also dream while they are deep and rapid eye movement, REM, sleep, the deepest level of sleep there is. This is the same stage of sleep that humans enter when we dream. You can usually tell when your cat is dreaming by watching closely for signs. You might notice their paws and legs moving or their mouths twitching. Additionally, cats often release small noises when they dream, which can be anything from a purr-like vibration to little yelps or sighs. If a cat is purring while sleeping, this could indicate that they are having an enjoyable and happy dream. Perhaps they are being fed an endless bowl of treats or are chasing a little bird around your garden. However, as purring is also linked to feelings of anxiety and threats, it could be that your cat is having a nightmare. Maybe they are being chased by a predator after all. Unfortunately, we will never be able to know exactly what your kitty is dreaming about, we can only speculate. In either case, sweet dream or nightmare, you should pat yourself on the back if you notice any of these signs of dreaming. As dreaming predominantly only occurs during the deepest level of sleep, it means your cat feels super safe and secure in your home. So, enjoy listening to those little purrs and watching their paws twitch knowing you've done a great job as an owner. They're bonding with each other. If you have more than one cat in your, you may notice that they purr together while they sleep. Aside from being undeniably adorable, your cats could be purring as a way of bonding with each other. This all relates to when kittens first purr when they are only a few weeks old. At this age, they're purring signals to the mother cat where its kittens are and to let them know they are okay. The mother will purr back in a lullaby-like way, letting the kitten know they are there for them and caring. By doing so, the mother-child bond starts to become strong. If you have a cat that has had a litter of kittens, you will probably notice this bonding behavior. However, even older cats can still use purring as a way of communicating and forming close friendships. If your cats are all sleeping and purring at once, they're just becoming best buddies. They're self-healing and growing. Many people think cats purring is simply a cute noise they make when they're happy. However, purring actually holds a much more magical power, it can help with healing and growing. How? Well, this is all down to the vibrations. Remember I said that purring is a result of the laryngeal muscles vibrating quickly? The precise vibration frequency of a purr sits at roughly 26 hertz, the same frequency used in vibrational therapy to promote tissue regeneration. When exposed to these vibrations, the muscles and bones become stronger and start to heal. This self-healing and recovery go hand-in-hand with sleep. The reason that our cats need sleep is for their bodies to recharge and recover. When they wake up, they will feel fresh and alert and ready to tackle the day ahead. If your cat is purring while asleep, this means they'll have an extra dose of self-healing and recharging during their slumber. Interestingly, cats can also be passing these healing powers onto you as well if you're nearby. Often, my cat sleeps on my chest and purrs, sending these healing vibrations through my body as well as its own. This explains why many cat owners claim to recover from illness and stress all thanks to their purring feline. Is my cat purring or is it actually snoring? Those are all the reasons why cats purr when they sleep, however, often owners mistake a snoring cat for a purring cat. Snoring and purring are two subtly different sounds that have unique meanings. A cat purring while asleep is usually due to contentment, dreaming, bonding, or self-healing. On the other hand, when a cat is snoring this is usually just a sign your cat is in a very deep sleep. However, it can also be a sign of allergies, respiratory illness, and other health issues. As such, it is important to be able to distinguish between these two noises, and listening closely should make it easy to tell these two sounds apart. You can also figure out which noise your cat is making by watching its movements and assessing the overall situation. For example, purring is more common if your cat is nearby to you while they sleep. Cats purr when you pet them, and if they are close to you their purring is likely to continue as they drift off into their peaceful slumber. They're also more likely to be purring if they are with other cats or if you notice they are in a dream state of REM sleep. If you enjoyed this video, kindly press the like button. Also don't forget to subscribe with notifications on, so that you don't miss out on videos like this. Thank you for watching.