Humanity’s faithful companions for thousands of years, cats fascinate and mystify us in equal measure. Despite their close relationship with humans, many aspects of feline behavior remain impenetrable to us. Japanese researchers have now shed some light on one of the most intriguing of these mysteries by discovering the genetic mechanism behind purring.

Unlike other mammals, few behavioral studies have been conducted on cats, leaving many aspects of their communication mechanisms unclear. However, domestic cats are remarkably sociable animals, enabling them to live in groups and form complex bonds with other cats as well as with humans.

The team at Kyoto University’s Wildlife Research Center, led by Yume Okamoto, a Ph.D. student specializing in feline behavior, studied 280 mixed-breed cats living in Japanese homes. The response was immediate: 265 cat owners responded to the call for participants in a single day, demonstrating the public’s keen interest in understanding our whiskered companions.

By analyzing their DNA samples and comparing them to those of 11 other feline species, scientists were able to establish for the first time a direct genetic link between purring and a variation in the androgen receptor gene.

The results speak for themselves: cats carrying the short version of the androgen receptor gene score higher on purring scales, as assessed by their owners, than those with the long version.

But this genetic difference is not only linked to simple purring—it is also associated with gender-specific behavior. Males with the short gene vocalize more toward humans, while females with the same genetic profile display more aggression toward strangers.

Signatures of domestication?

These discoveries take on a fascinating dimension when placed in the context of feline evolution. Comparative analysis with other Felidae species reveals a genetic transformation directly linked to domestication.

While the leopard cat and the fishing cat—species closely related to the domestic cat—only have the short version of the gene, our domestic cats have long variants that are completely absent in their wild cousins. This observation suggests that the emergence of these long versions is the result of profound genetic changes that accompanied domestication and artificial selection over thousands of years.

Published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE, this study also highlights the differences between purebred cats and mixed-breed cats. The former, often raised by humans from an early age, are more likely to carry the long version of the gene and seem to have less-developed vocal communication skills.

Conversely, mixed-breed cats in the study—many of which were former stray cats that had been rescued—tended to meow more. They are more likely to have the genetic variant that promotes vocalization, as if they had developed more intense communication strategies to survive and get adopted.

This genetic understanding of feline behavior isn’t just about satisfying our scientific curiosity about our beloved furry friends. The ability to predict certain behavioral tendencies based on genetic data could facilitate targeted observation and care tailored to the specific needs of each cat.

The Kyoto-based team plans to extend its investigations to other feline species to further our understanding of the genetic mechanisms behind various behavioral patterns. The goal remains clear: to enrich our knowledge about cats and help build more harmonious relationships between these animals and humans.