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Have you ever wondered why cats have whiskers? Besides adding to your cat’s good looks, what functions do whiskers serve?
Whiskers, also called vibrissae, are specialized hairs that are thicker and stiffer than the regular hairs of the cat’s coat. They are imbedded more deeply into the skin that other hairs and are surrounded by nerves. They are like a direct link to the cat’s nervous systems because they grow from a special hair follicle. Like other hairs, they shed and regrow naturally. Darker whiskers can turn white with age similar to the way an old dog’s muzzle turns grey.
We can easily see the whiskers near a cat’s nose and above the eyes, but they also grow along the jawline and on the backs of the front legs. The whiskers in these locations work in coordination to help your cat jump, climb, catch prey (or feather toys), explore his or her environment, and express emotion.
In general, the whiskers on the face are as long as the cat is wide (this may not be true if the cat is quite overweight). This helps the cat gauge how tight a space is so he knows if he can fit in that box, under the couch, or through that partially open door. Whiskers are also finely tuned motion sensors that help the cat sense the motion of prey or a change in the direction of a breeze. Whiskers also help your cat with jumping because they help her gauge distance.
Although it’s often difficult to tell what cats are thinking, whisker position can offer clues. A calm, relaxed cat’s whiskers will be pointing in the usual sideways position. A cat who is excited or hunting prey will often have whiskers which point forward. Whiskers that point back towards the ears can indicate a cat who is frightened, anxious, or angry.
Our feline friends aren’t the only animals with whiskers. All mammals, including all primates except humans, have some type of whiskers. These special hairs are so interesting that researchers have begun experimenting with artificial whiskers for robots!