What is "prusten"

n. A sound made by tigers and snow leopards without the intent to threaten, producing a breathy snort by blowing through the nostrils whilst the mouth is closed — a low-frequency equivalent of the purring found in domestic cats.

Prusten is a vocalization made by only two members of the Panthera family, the tiger and the snow leopard. Prusten is also referred to as chuffing or chuffle (verb and noun). Chuffing is a non-threatening vocalization. It is often used between two cats who are greeting each other, during courting, or simply by a mother comforting her cubs. It is also common to see captive tigers and snow leopards exchange chuffs with their keepers in a way to express a greeting or excitement. In order to vocalize a chuff, the animal's mouth is closed and it blows through the nostrils, producing a breathy snort.