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Whiskers. One of the cutest features on our furry faced friends, competing only with toe beans and nose freckles. But other than being super adorable cat antennas, why do cats have whiskers and what is their purpose?
Whiskers are actually an incredibly effective sensory tool that cats use every day of their lives. The tickly whiskers are multifunctional and highly sensitive, serving our floofs in a number of ways. They contain an incredible amount of nerve endings which help to sense vibrations and changes in the environment. We joked about antennas, but actually whiskers do pick up signals to help your cat understand what’s going on in the world around them. Unlike the rest of their fur, whiskers reach much deeper than your regular hair follicle and are connected to your cat’s muscular and nervous systems, making them extremely sensory and a great guide on your cat’s daily adventures.
Fun fact – your cat’s whiskers are totally identical on either side and can work like a measuring tape for your cat to gauge objects and distances around them. Cats use their whiskers to work out if they can squeeze into spaces as their whiskers will be equal to the width of their body. It’s good to note, cat’s actually don’t really enjoy eating out of deep bowls as their whiskers are sending messages to their bodies that they don’t really fit! Try using shallower bowls or even a plate next time you’re serving up dinner for a more comfortable dining experience for your kitty customer.
As well as measuring, whiskers can help with vision especially at night as they help your cat navigate the darkness without bumping into things, just like a parking sensor on your car. They can detect air currents which help warn of any incoming danger, display emotions depending on their position and can even change colour as your cat ages. Quite the piece of kit!
Remember – you might notice the odd whisker shed around the house which is nothing to be alarmed by as they’ll grow back, but it’s extremely important to never trim your cat’s whiskers! Trimming them could cause extreme confusion and disorientation for your little one and even scare them away so stay away from the scissors.
