In this short blog you will find out why tigers and lions roar, a domestic cat can purr and why a cheetah is an outsider in terms of producing sounds .
The two distinguishing osteological structures between a tiger, cheetah and a domestic cat are the skull and hyoid apparatus. The family Felidae is divided into "roaring cats" (lions, tigers, jaguars and leopards) and "purring cats" (cheetahs). Roaring cats have an incompletely ossified hyoid bone, which allows them to roar but not purr. A strict definition of purring, based on a 2002 study, includes continuous sound production with a consistent pattern and frequency between 25 and 150 Hz.
Tiger vs the common domestic cat
The skull of a tiger exhibits a skull flattening with a prominent sagittal crest, which serves as the attachment point for large jaw muscles. This crest is virtually absent in the modern domestic cat, resulting in a relatively less powerful jaw in relation to the body. As for the hyoid apparatus, it is incompletely fossilized in the tiger.
Listen to tiger roar
When a tiger takes a deep breath and expels the air, the cartilaginous walls of the incompletely ossified larynx vibrate, creating the characteristic roaring sound. The tiger's larynx is also flexibly attached to the skull by cartilage, which allows the animal to roar.
Only four species within the Panthera family, namely the lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar, can actually roar. A notable exception is the snow leopard, which produces a semi-roar sound.
What is roaring?
Roaring serves as a symbolic claim to territory, and serves as a powerful call over long distances, especially during the mating season. Tigers use a wide range of sounds to communicate over long distances. Tigers' distinctive roar serves multiple purposes, such as marking the downing of prey, attracting a mate's attention during mating season, and calling females to their young. This powerful roar can be heard at distances of more than 3 km. In addition, tigers also produce sounds such as moans and screams, which are described as a more subdued form of roaring. 'A unique vocalization called "chuffing" is used as a friendly or affiliative sound, produced specifically by big cats. Cuddling takes place in situations such as communication between a mother and her cubs, greetings between tigers, and sometimes even with their favorite zookeeper.
Listen to tiger chuffing
Cheetah
The hyoid apparatus of cheetahs has a solid structure with divided vocal cords that vibrate during both inhalation and exhalation. This structure is similar to all 'small' cats and allow them to purr continuously, but limit the range of other sounds, such as roaring. They have also perfected a bird-like chirp for mutual communication.
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