Research overview: purring across the cat family

Purring is not unique to the domestic cat, and its distribution across felids has long been used to divide the family. This overview surveys the traditional contrast between purring cats, which cannot roar, and the roaring big cats of the genus Panthera, a distinction historically tied to differences in the hyoid apparatus and larynx. It examines which species are reported to purr, the anatomical features associated with purring versus roaring, and how comparative work refines the once-clean dichotomy. The survey discusses what the phylogenetic pattern reveals about the evolution of feline vocal anatomy and the function of purring, situating the domestic cat's familiar purr within the broader vocal repertoire and structural diversity of the cat family.