prusten

noun

1. (uncountable)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.

   “He made a sound, a snort from his nostrils. I pricked up my ears. He did it a second time. I was astonished. Prusten?”

   “Prusten is the quietest of tiger calls, a puff through the nose to express friendliness and harmless intentions.”