Clinton Albright, age 11, of  N. B., or his question:

Is a cat the only animal who can purr?

Other animals besides the house cat can purr, but all of them are members of the cat family. The lynx who has pointed ears can purr and so can the scrappy bobcat. The slinky, golden‑coated puma can purr and even a fierce Mamma tiger has been heard purring a few words to her cubs. All these animals are felines, members of the eat tribe.

The purrers, it seems,, have a second set of vocal cords. One set is used for loud catty sounds such as Meow Yaoh and all the other strange words that cats use. The other set, deep in the throat, works only when puss is relaxed and happy. The purring sound occurs as she breathes back and forth over these mute vocal cords.