By Suz Redfearn WebMD Feature Reviewed by Amy Flowers, DVM Those stiff hairs on your cat’s face and legs don’t just add to her cuteness -- they have real work to do. Whiskers are GPS and radar systems for your cat. “They are a powerful and important part of how a cat senses the world,” says W. Mark Cousins, DVM, the founder of a veterinary clinic in New Orleans. How They Work Each thick whisker is filled with tiny, supersensitive nerves that help your cat judge distance and space. It’s how she makes decisions like: Is this box too small to get inside? How far do I need to jump to reach that counter? It’s also how she detects what’s around her. “Cats that are blind can navigate rooms very well by just walking around and letting their whiskers get a sense of where they are spatially,” Cousins says. The follicles -- the sacs that hold the hairs -- are deep, with lots of nerve endings that send messages to the cat’s brain. There’s also a sensory organ at the tip of each whisker. It picks up vibrations in the environment that help the cat sense where she is and what other creatures are around her. Most whiskers are rooted in the thick pads on the upper lip, but smaller sets are in the eyebrow area, along the chin, and near the feet. The ones on the sides of the nose are the same width as your cat’s body; they help her figure out whether a space is wide enough to squeeze through. Whiskers on the back of the legs help your cat climb trees. What’s Your Cat’s Mood? Watch Her Whiskers A complex set of muscles on the face moves whiskers back and forth. The way a cat arranges them will tell another animal -- or us humans -- how she’s feeling. When a cat is relaxed, her whiskers will remain still, sticking straight out from the side of her head. If she is curious or is on the hunt, she’ll press them slightly forward. Cats that are nervous or upset will pin the whiskers back toward the face. For the whole article click HERE.
Another very interesting read. I already kne a bit of what was written there but I still learned some new information. There is always something to be learned on here. I enjoy all the interesting and informative articles that you find and share.
Thank you, Susan I'm glad you liked the article I always try to post useful bits of info, just to expand the general knowledge of cat and dog owners, because the average cat/dog owner is usually not very well informed. I know I wasn't until some years ago.
That is so true. It seems you are always learning when it comes to pets and a lot of times you don't take the time to learn things until you are in that situation and then you are trying to find the answers. That is what I really like about this forum, it seems every day that I come hear I learn something new. I have had cats all my life and there are still things that I am learning.
Yeah, it seems so hard to find the right answers when you are in a real hurry. That is why I favor info graphs over long articles It's easier to remember critical info that way. It's still better you you print those and pin them to the fridge, so useful during an emergency.
Yes for sure I always print them off and keep them handy so I will be able to find them when I need them. In an emergency you are usually panicked and its hard to think straight in those times!
Yeah, it is! Lol, I might end up with a kitchen full of those info graphs very soon But they're all so useful! I plan to keep those there until I memorize the info (cooking ones, not the ''what to do in case emergency'', etc). Those info graphs can be real life savers at times
That is such an informative piece @Trellum. Now I know to keep my distance when the whiskers are pulled back toward the face. Thanks for sharing this!
