Cats and their whiskers – Why and where do our feline friends have whiskers?

Whiskers make kitties look adorable, but their role is much greater than that. They are a recognizable part of a cat's anatomy, but not many cat parents know what their purpose really is.

Cat’s whiskers are crucial for their survival, and if you didn’t know, your feline friend doesn’t have them only on its face. Keep reading to find out where your furry ball of love has whiskers and why it actually has them.

Whiskers, what are they exactly?

Just like the rest of the hair, whiskers appear from hair follicles which are full of nerves and blood vessels. They are thicker, coarser, and more sensitive, and they have deeper roots than other hairs on a cat's body.

Furthermore, the whiskers of your feline friend are as sensitive as your fingertips. You touch and sense the world around you with your fingers, your kitty touches it with its cute little face.

Where are cat’s whiskers located? Facial whiskers

You are probably very well aware of the whiskers on your furry friend’s face. They are carefully arranged on the chin, near the ears, above the eyes, and above the upper lip of cats. Usually, kitties have twelve whiskers that are organized in four rows on each cheek, but this depends on the breed of the cat.

In addition, the facial whiskers are quite longer than the rest of the fur, even the cat has long hair, and this is not without a reason.

Carpal whiskers

However, did you know that cats have whiskers on the back of their front legs? They are called carpal whiskers and have an extremely important assignment. They grow on the underside of the feline’s wrist area.

But, what is the purpose of a cat's whiskers?

Cats have whiskers with a variety of functions, but their first and most important role is as a sensory organ. On their tips, they have a sensory tool called a proprioceptor. Their structure makes them highly sensitive to environmental changes and vibrations, and felines use whiskers to sense and understand the world around them.

Moreover, since the whiskers are deeply connected to the nervous and muscular system, they send sensory information to the cat’s brain about the environment. This is one thing that makes them exquisite explores.

In relation, the length of the facial whiskers on both sides of the cat’s mouth encompasses a distance almost the same width as the width of the kitty. This characteristic allows the feline to move with agility and make quick decisions when it is hunting.

Also, cats use their whiskers to determine if a space is too narrow to fit into it, thus preventing getting stuck in dangerous places.

In addition, kitties rely on their facial whiskers to get more information about their prey as the whisker can in fact move towards the target to gather specific data about it. In this manner, the whiskers complement a cat's eyesight.

Furthermore, the carpal whiskers enable kitties to be outstanding hunters, and it happens in the following manner. When a feline sees a target (a prey, an object) that is close to them, it can’t see many details.

That’s why they use their front legs to grab and hold their target (you probably have noticed this when your kitty is playing with its favorite toy), and they gather info through their leg whiskers.

Additional whiskers info

Don’t be alarmed if in your cat’s lifespan the whiskers change color. As our hair becomes grey as we age, the change of color in its whiskers can be a sign of your cat’s aging as well.

One extremely important thing you should never, ever do is cutting your cat’s whiskers. They are vital for the feline's survival, and if cut the cat feels scared and disorientated.

Pets' love has no limit... This quote is a guide for Nino for more than 20 years as a pet owner. He loves pets since his early childhood.