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Why do black-footed cats purr but leopards roar? Researchers hypothesize that this difference between the two feline species may be partly due to a U-shaped bone in their throats called the hyoid. Black-footed cats, which are much smaller than leopards, have a rigid hyoid that rumbles when the cat's larynx vibrates, resulting in a purr. By contrast, leopards have a somewhat flexible hyoid, and the bone is attached to the skull with a stretchy ligament that black-footed cats lack. These traits allow leopards and most other species of big cats to produce powerful roars. The same traits may also prevent most big cats from purring.