Do cats stop purring when they sleep

Why is your cat purring while sleeping:

Your cat is probably purring in their sleep because they are comfortable.

Cats purr when they are happy, or as a way of comforting themselves. It’s also possible your cat is having a dream. Some cats snore while sleeping, which might be confused with purring.

Whether your cat is cuddled at your feet or cozy in their bed, it’s safe to say that they’re at peace if they are purring in their sleep.

While cats can also purr while stressed, this isn’t likely if they are content enough to be napping, and there are no known health problems that could be causing them pain.

A Cat Purring in their Sleep is Probably Comfortable

Without knowing anything else about the context, I would guess that a cat purring in their sleep is relaxed. After all, they’re comfortable enough to be napping, and that means they’re unlikely to feel stressed or hurt—both things that would be more likely to keep them awake.

It’s also possible that your cat isn’t sleeping at all, and you just think they are. My cat frequently closes his eyes and purrs while in my lap, but he’s not sleeping—just very relaxed.

You should pay attention to other cues when trying to determine your cat’s mood, though, such as environmental stressors or if they have a known condition that could be causing them pain.

If Your Cat Purrs in their Sleep, they Might be Dreaming

Although your cat is most likely happy when they purr in their sleep, there is a more interesting—and slightly more complicated—reason they could be purring.

Did you know that cats can dream just like people?

The stage of sleep we enter when dreaming is called REM, or rapid eye movement. Scientists still have a lot of unanswered questions about sleep, and we don’t yet know exactly why REM and dreaming—or even sleep itself—are so important.

However, it seems that they aren’t just important to us. All mammals dream during sleep, so it’s something we share with many animals, including our cats.

Of course, we can never know what our cats are dreaming about. It’s entirely possible they’re having good dreams when they purr in their sleep. They also may be dreaming about a trip to the veterinarian and are purring out of anxiety.

While we may wish we knew what was going on in their heads (I know I’d love to read my cats’ minds!), unfortunately we can’t!

Your Cat Might be Snoring, not Purring

If you’re unsure about the noise your cat is making, consider that they might be snoring instead of purring.

Snoring is very normal for cats, and just like people it doesn’t mean that anything’s wrong most of the time. It also doesn’t necessarily mean they’re any less relaxed than a cat who’s purring in their sleep!

Cats with flatter faces (short muzzles) and those who are overweight are more likely to snore. Some sleeping positions also make cats prone to snoring.

If your cat snores regularly, it’s probably nothing to worry about. However, if your cat has suddenly begun to snore or is snoring accompanied by discharge from their nose or eyes, you should take them to the veterinarian.

These symptoms may indicate upper respiratory problems or other illnesses.

In addition, if your snoring cat also has trouble breathing while awake, this is incredibly worrying, and you should schedule a check-up with your veterinarian as soon as possible.

As always, any sudden changes in behavior can indicate medical problems, so if you’re concerned, it’s best to be safe and ask a professional.

Cats tend to hide pain and illness well, so don’t ignore any symptoms they do show. They can be the difference between catching a disease early or prolonged suffering for your cat.

Some ways to treat snoring at home (if your cat has always snored, or alongside speaking to your veterinarian) are using a humidifier to moisten the air, and making sure your cat gets a healthy diet and daily exercise.

Cats Purr for Multiple Reasons

We’re often taught as children that cats purr when they are happy, like a dog wagging their tail. But just like dogs and tail wagging, purring is more complex than many humans believe.

We might not even know yet all the reasons cats purr, and just like any method of animal communication, sometimes we are making educated guesses based on what pet owners and scientists can observe.

Cats purr when they are:

• Happy
• Relaxed
• Hungry
• Afraid
• In pain

Cats also purr as a method of communication with their kittens. Mother cats use purrs to guide their little ones before they’ve developed their sense of hearing.

Some believe that cats also purr to comfort each other or humans, but I haven’t found a study that proves or disproves this. At this time, we just don’t know if it’s true or not. Though, it is nice to believe that when your cat curls up in your lap and purrs at you after a long day, they know what comfort they’re providing.

As you can see, those are a lot of very different emotions and reasons for purring—and they might be different than you expect.

The reason cats purr when they’re scared or in pain is because they are self-comforting. Cat purrs have also been shown to heal pain.

But when your cat could be purring out of happiness or pain, how do you tell which is which?

The truth is, there’s a lot about our cats we just can’t understand. Humans and cats don’t speak the same language, and some things are bound to get lost in translation.

However, we can take cues from our cats’ body language and our setting and make a logical guess as to what our cats are feeling.

For example, a cat purring in your lap is probably comfortable and content. Otherwise, they would leave.

But if your cat is like mine and likes to curl up on top of you when the neighbors are setting off fireworks at night, it’s possible they’re also purring out of fear.

Housecats aren’t the only Cats who Purr

Studies have shown that, while not all big cats purr, many do. This means that purring isn’t unique to housecats, and the sound has likely been used by cats for a very long time.

Cheetahs, bobcats, pumas, and others all purr in the same way the cat sat in your lap right now does. Other big cats, such as lions, make a noise that sounds similar to purring but is different than what we consider purring in housecats.

There’s still a lot to learn and study when it comes to cats and purring, and it’s likely we’ll continue to learn more about its functions as science advances in the future.

Purring is a Complicated Process

Purring is complicated—so complicated, in fact, that scientists got it wrong the first time around.

They thought that the sound had to do with blood flow through a cat’s inferior vena cava, but were incorrect.

The real way that cats purr (as far as we know at this time) is with their laryngeal muscles. These muscles are used to open and close a space between the cat’s vocal cords, and this separation creates the purrs that we know and love.

Writer: Katelynn Sobus

I am a freelance writer who specializes in the pet industry.  My full bio

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