Cat purrs too much?

[funkybutt]

Maybe I'm being overly sensative here. But it seems like my cat has been purring way more than usual. She's 10 years old and purring to the point where it moves her body. I wonder if maybe she isn't feeling well. I'd hate to take off work to take her to the vet b/c she's purring "too much". My pets and I have been through a lot since Katrina but this kitty hasn't seemed to let it bother her at all. She's happy wherever we are even if we're displaced. So maybe I'm overreacting. What do y'all think?

[IndyOp]

1. Well... Can you make an appointment for Saturday?

So you don't have to take off work, but can just have a vet listen to her? I have no clue whether or not their might be a problem, but depending on the "purr" maybe it is something respiratory - maybe just a kitty cold?

:hug:

[funkybutt]

2. She's sick alright

We dropped her off at the vet this morning and he says she's got an elevated respiration rate and a considerable fever. He's starting her on anti-biotics and going to X-ray her chest.

I knew something wasn't right. Poor kitty :(

[superconnected]

8. Good for you! Getting her there and taking care of her

even with just symptoms of purring.

She obviously has a good home. :)

I hope she gets better soon.

[Patiod]

3. Good catch there!

They purr to sooth their pain, not just when they're happy.
http://www.geocities.com/petsburgh/4114/purring.html

[IndyOp]

4. Wow - Thanks for that interesting tidbit...

A quote from Geocities Purring page (link above):

One function of the hypothalamus is to feel and interpret emotions. It determines if a certain sensory stimulus is pleasant, like being petted, or painful.

The interesting thing about the hypothalamus is that it releases endorphins, which are morphine-like substances, that stimulate the "purr center" causing that wonderful, vibrating purr that we are all so familiar with.

A cat's body, like humans, is an intricate and beautifully designed series of checks and balances. Pain stimulates the hypothalamus to release it's endorphins as a natural-like endogenous morphine that helps block the pain. The release of these endorphins also stimulate the "purr center" in the cats brain and cause it to purr.

[japple]

5. "Purr center"????? You're reading that technical stuff, aren't you?

It's a purr box, and it's located deep inside the cat. Sometimes the little motor inside the purr box get out of whack and can cause the cat's purr to become too loud. M. Kliban has an excellent diagram of a purr box in one of his books.

Seriously, thanks for the good article and, Funky Butt, I hope your kitty gets better quickly.

[IndyOp]

6. Hey, Pavlov's theories referred to "UCS Center" and "CS Center" --

Lacking fancy-smancy terms like "nuclei" or "neural circuit" physiology-type thinkers (including neuroscientist wanna-bes) often refer to 'centers' in the brain.

:-)

[demnan]

7. Glad you caught that one

Hope she's better soon.