Why do cats have whiskers? We have always been told it is so that they can work out if they can fit through a hole in a fence, actually whiskers have a lot more going for them than working out the size of a hole.
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Have you ever looked closely at your cat's whiskers? They are also known as vibrissae or tactile hairs and are the long thick hairs on your cat's cheeks or whisker pads here there are many nerve endings, which relay instant information to the brain.
They are also located above the cat's eyes similar to eyebrows and smaller ones on their legs and paws.
Whiskers are just amazing; they can help a cat navigate around a room in the dark by sensing where furniture is by the slight changes in air currents around furniture.
They are so sensitive that a cat will, by putting its head through a hole, determine if its body will fit through, provided it is not very overweight. Whiskers are so sensitive that they can determine changes in the weather, just like a barometer.
Whiskers also give a clue as to your cat's mood. Whiskers pulled tightly back on the face indicate an angry or scared cat, when they are sticking out sideways from the face the cat is relaxed and happy, when hunting or feeling aggressive the whiskers point forward.
This helps cats catch their prey, as cats are far sighted and can't see too well up close, if you watch closely you will see that the whiskers are actually pointing towards the prey or toy. Cats are able to move some of their whiskers independently, i.e., there are four rows of whiskers on each side and it is the top two rows that can move independently from the bottom two rows.
If you are interested in adopting a cat or kitten, along with their whiskers, please phone Elaine on 0410 016 612 or email her on awl.eurobodalla.nsw@gmail.com
We have several older cats longing for a home and still more kittens wanting to win your heart. The AWL promotes responsible pet ownership and all our animals waiting for adoption have been vet checked, vaccinated, wormed and de-sexed.