Whiskers – What Does Your Cat Use Them For?

Whiskers are a very important part of your cat’s body. Whiskers, like hair and nails, fall out and are replaced.

Whiskers are different from your cat’s body hair. They are two to three times thicker than your cat’s hair and are rooted very keep in your cat’s face into an area which is rich in nerves and blood vessels.

Cats have whiskers on their checks as well as shorter ones above their eyebrows, on their chin and on the back of their front legs. A cat’s facial whiskers are good for navigation, mood indication, and measuring an opening.

Whiskers help a cat feel his way around and are so sensitive they can detect the slightest directional change in a breeze. This helps a cat at night slink away through a room and not bump into anything.

Whiskers serve another purpose besides acting as guidance, tracking, and radar systems – they also serve as a kind of barometer for the cat’s moods. But if you see the whiskers suddenly bunch up and lay flat against the cat’s face — that may be a sign that the cat is scared.

The whiskers also make it pretty easy to tell when a cat is startled or excited, because every hair on its body will be standing on end, including the whiskers, which will point almost completely forward.

If the cat is happy, curios or content, his whiskers are more relaxed and can even be pushed forward. Perhaps when playing “chase the toy” with a cat, you’ll notice its whiskers are pointing forward. This is probably its “game face,” a sign that your cat is in hunting mode.

Whiskers on a cat are primarily used to help a cat judge whether or not he’ll fit through an opening. A cat’s whiskers are roughly as wide as his body – being used as sort of a natural ruler.

Whisker tips are sensitive to pressure. You’ll most likely see a cat stick his head in and out of an opening before he puts his body in it. By doing this, he judges the width of the opening to see if he can fit.

Whiskers are a vital part of a cat’s mobility and sense of security. Without whiskers, cats would not be able to achieve the great acrobatic feats that are so awe-inspiring, or protect themselves from dangerous situations.

What other facts do you know about a cat’s whiskers? Please comment on our blog to share with us!

Why Does My Cat Have Whiskers?

What does a cat use its whiskers for?

Whiskers are a very important part of your cat’s body. Whiskers, like hair and nails, fall out and are replaced.

Whiskers are different from your cat’s body hair. They are two to three times thicker than your cat’s hair and are rooted very keep in your cat’s face into an area which is rich in nerves and blood vessels.

Cats have whiskers on their checks as well as shorter ones above their eyebrows, on their chin and on the back of their front legs. A cat’s facial whiskers are good for navigation, mood indication, and measuring an opening.

Whiskers help a cat feel his way around and are so sensitive they can detect the slightest directional change in a breeze. This helps a cat at night slink away through a room and not bump into anything. When a cat is angry or feels defensive, his whiskers will be pulled back. If the cat is happy, curios or content, his whiskers are more relaxed and can even be pushed forward.

Whiskers on a cat are primarily used to help a cat judge whether or not he’ll fit through an opening. A cat’s whiskers are roughly as wide as his body – being used as sort of a natural ruler. Whisker tips are sensitive to pressure. You’ll most likely see a cat stick his head in and out of an opening before he puts his body in it. By doing this, he judges the width of the opening to see if he can fit.

What other facts do you know about a cat’s whiskers? Please comment on our blog to share with us!