Why does a cat purr?

Answer

Dear Laurens,

Cats initially purr as kittens when they receive attention from their mother. It is in fact a signal that says ‘take care of me’. That is why cats sometimes purr when they are sick or in pain, to make it clear to others (people or cats) that they need care. In normal circumstances, this is a signal that adult cats no longer use each other as often. However, cats are smart animals and they quickly notice that we humans respond well when they purr. In addition, many cats behave towards us as if they were still kittens. These two factors together mean that cats often purr for people, but not for other cats.