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You are here: Home / Animals / What Do Elephants and Cats Have in Common?

What Do Elephants and Cats Have in Common?

July 30, 2020 by Karen Hill

Elephants and cats both purr. It was once thought that the purr of an elephant was in some way connected with the way they digest food.

Recently, the purring has been proven to be a means of communication. The low, soft sound normally comes when an animal is near but out of eyesight of other elephants.

If threatened, either by an animal or other source, the elephant stops purring, and so do its nearby friends. When an elephant stops purring, it is a warning to all those nearby. When danger leaves, the purring begins again.

It also used to be thought that elephants were afraid of mice. Experiments have proven that this just isn’t true. When a mouse is placed with an elephant, the large animal completely ignores the presence of the little creature, even if it runs all over his feet and climbs up his trunk.

People used to think that African elephants could not be trained. In the early 1900s, a group of Belgians proved them wrong and trained the mighty African elephant by using kindness and love instead of whips.

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  • What Is the Difference Between Asian Elephants and African Elephants and Which Elephant Is Larger?
  • When were Elephants First Domesticated in Asia and are Elephants still Used as Transportation in India?
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  • Can Cats See in the Dark and Do Cats have Night Vision in Complete Darkness?
  • Would House Cats Eat their Owners if the Owners Died and the Cats Were Hungry?
  • Why Do Cats Purr To Show Affection and What Does it Mean When Cats Purr?
  • What Is Catnip, Why Do Cats Like Catnip, and What Are the Effects of Catnip On Cats?
  • Why Does a Cat Purr, How Do Cats Make Purring Sounds, and What Does It Mean When Cats Purr?
  • Why are Elephant Ears so Big and Do Elephants Have Bigger Ears to Hear Better?
  • Do Elephants Really Have Good Memories?
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Filed Under: Animals

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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