Did you know? The ability of a species of cat to roar or purr depends on the structure of its larynx and a small bone called the hyoid. In roaring species like lions and tigers (& leopards & jaguars) the hyoid bone is partially flexible, and their vocal folds are longer and covered in a thick, fatty tissue that allows them to produce loud, hearty roars. But smaller cats, like bobcats and domestic cats, have a hardened hyoid and shorter vocal folds, enabling them to purr but preventing them from