Why do cats have whiskers, anyway? Sure, they’re great for tickling your nose early in the morning when you’d rather be sleeping, but those long, thick strands of hair, also known as vibrissae or tactile hairs, found on your cat’s face and on the back of his front legs (above the paws) serve some other very important purposes.
They’re Great Navigational Aids
Have you ever tried to make your way around a dark room? Well, instead of bumping into things like us clumsy humans, a cat uses its whiskers to navigate dark areas.The whiskers allow cats to detect changes in air currents, which in turn keeps the animal from smacking into that bookshelf or footstool. Cats also use their whiskers to hunt, because they can detect the air currents around its prey.
If you’ve noticed your cat poking his head through an opening and pausing, he’s doing more than just checking out what’s inside, he’s actually gauging if he’ll fit without getting stuck. The whiskers on a cat’s muzzle are approximately the same length as the cat’s width (this may not apply to overweight cats). So if the whiskers fit into that opening without bending, then the cat knows it’s safe to proceed.
Fun fact: a cat’s muzzle has four rows of whiskers on each side. The two top rows can move independently of the bottom two rows.
They Protect Your Cat’s Eyes
When a cat is in tall grass or an area with lots of brush, the whiskers above the eyes serve as an automatic blinking trigger. If a foreign object touches these top whiskers, it immediately makes the cat blink. This serves to protect the eyes from debris or punctures.
We’ve already learned that a cat’s muzzle whiskers can detect a shift in air currents when hunting prey, but did you know the carpal whiskers (located just above the cat’s wrists on the front legs) also help when hunting? When a cat has its prey captured between its front paws, the carpal whiskers help him determine movement and which direction the animal is facing. Once the cat has this information, it can make an accurate killing bite.
Whiskers Can Tell You About Their Mood
Don’t wait for your cat to give you a good swat to find out he’s in a bad mood, just take a look at his whiskers. Loosely hanging whiskers mean “I’m relaxed.” A battle-ready or frightened cat’s whiskers will lie flat against the face to prevent damage, while forward-facing whiskers mean that the cat is in hunting mode.
However, don’t rely just on the whiskers before going in for a cuddle; be sure to read your cat’s other body language signs to help determine its mood or availability for some quality snuggle time.
Can I Cut My Cat’s Whiskers?
No, never cut or tamper with a cat’s whiskers. This will not only cause disorientation, but also fear, stress and even pain due to their extreme sensitivity.
Now that you know how important whiskers are, take notice of all the ways your cat uses them. Whether he’s hunting, making his way through a dark room or just telling you how much he loves your company, those whiskers are as much a part of your cat’s makeup as his endearing purr.