Why Can't My Cat Roar?

The video explores the differences between cats that can roar and those that can purr. It introduces Cameo, a domestic cat, and explains that only lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars can roar due to their flexible hyoid bones and thick vocal fold pads. These features allow them to produce low-pitched sounds but prevent them from purring. The snow leopard is an exception, having a flexible hyoid but unable to roar due to the lack of vocal fold pads. The video concludes with acknowledgments to contributors.

Which of the following cats is capable of roaring?

• Cheetah

• Domestic cat

• Lion

• Snow leopard

What did Richard Owen discover about the hyoid bone in roaring cats?

• It is larger than in other cats

• It is completely ossified

• It is more flexible

• It is absent

Why can't snow leopards roar despite having a flexible hyoid bone?

• They lack the thick vocal fold pads

• Their vocal cords are too short

• They have a different larynx structure

• Their hyoid bone is too flexible

What is the role of thick vocal fold pads in roaring cats?

• They help in purring

• They make the vocal folds longer and heavier

• They prevent the vocal cords from vibrating

• They are used for communication during hunting

How do domestic cats produce the purring sound?

• By vibrating their lips

• By exhaling deeply

• By vibrating their vocal folds at about 26 times per second

• By using a special purr box