• About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Contact Us
Thursday, May 15, 2025
Pet Rescue Blog
  • Pets
  • Breeds
    • Dog Breed
    • Mixed Dog Breeds
    • Cat Breeds
  • Food
  • Adopt a pet
    • Adopt a Pet in Houston
    • Rescue Dogs in New York City
  • Fitness
  • Pet Care
    • Training
    • Health
  • Reviews
    • List
  • Shop
  • More
    • Pet Names
      • Boy Cat Names
      • Female Cat Names
      • Horse Names
      • Bird Names
    • Coupons
    • Infographics
    • Video
No Result
View All Result
  • Pets
  • Breeds
    • Dog Breed
    • Mixed Dog Breeds
    • Cat Breeds
  • Food
  • Adopt a pet
    • Adopt a Pet in Houston
    • Rescue Dogs in New York City
  • Fitness
  • Pet Care
    • Training
    • Health
  • Reviews
    • List
  • Shop
  • More
    • Pet Names
      • Boy Cat Names
      • Female Cat Names
      • Horse Names
      • Bird Names
    • Coupons
    • Infographics
    • Video
No Result
View All Result
Pet Rescue Blog
No Result
View All Result
cats whiskers

The cats whiskers

Julia Henriques by Julia Henriques
September 9, 2021
in Cats
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0
Share on PinterestShare on Twitter

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • Cats whiskers
  • The cat and her whiskers
  • What do whiskers say?
  • Young cats whiskers
  • Finally

It seems like one of the typical features of the cat, the whiskers. It’s just part of it and doesn’t seem special, but nothing could be further from the truth. The cat’s whiskers mean more than people often realize. The whiskers are extremely sensitive and very useful to the animal.

How does that work with the cats whiskers?

cats whiskers

Cats whiskers

In a general sense, whiskers, which we also usually call tactile hairs, occur in animals that either cannot see well or are mainly active at night (such as the cat by nature). The whiskers serve to find the way in search of food, for example.

The cats whiskers take over a kind of task for the senses, the moment there is a reason that they cannot be used properly.

Reading Suggestions; The Coat Care Of Cats By Breed

One animal uses it in a different way than the other because this way the house mouse can detect movements in the air with the whiskers. Prey animals use them to find the hunter and hunters, such as the cat, can find the prey with i

 

The cat and her whiskers

Although the cat can see well, the whiskers are also important for the cat. They are one of the most important sensors for the animal. The sense of touch ensures that everything in the immediate vicinity is ‘perceived’ and, if applicable, can also act as a warner.

This allows the cat to effortlessly walk through a narrow dark corridor without touching anything. The cat measures the distance to the wall or other obstacles, as it were.

The cat can also use the whiskers to estimate the prey in total and to find the place to make that all-important deadly bite.

cats whiskers

Location and Application

The whiskers are basically around the nose and are also found on other parts of the body to a limited extent. They are thicker than other hairs and at the end of the hair is a hair follicle with blood, we call this blood sinus.

The cats whiskers are directly linked to the brain because they are important and so the brain must be able to process the impulses from the whiskers directly. It is the movement of the hair that makes the blood move. It even strengthens the movement. The nerves at the ends, we also call them receptor cells, are now ‘alarmed’.

It is important never to clip whiskers. However, if you find a whisker once, that’s okay. A new whisker will grow on its own.

The mustache or tactile hairs are mostly above the lip. They also occur, to a lesser extent, in the following places:

  • on the chin
  • above the eyelids
  • on the back of the front legs

Especially above the lip, the whiskers are very prominent on the head of the cat. However, the cat can also conveniently lay them back during a fight, because they must not be damaged. But also while eating, because then they don’t get dirty.

What do whiskers say?

If you look closely at the cat, you can tell how the cat is feeling from the position of the whiskers. The whiskers are put forward during a greeting, but also when she is playing. However, if the cat is frightened, vulnerable, or shy, the whiskers will be drawn together and lie flat against the cheeks.

Reading Suggestions; 200+ Unique Female Cat Names for Your Cute Companion

If the hairs are perpendicular to the cat’s head, she is relaxed and content. Just pay attention when she is lying quietly on your lap or has found a cushion in which she can ‘knead’ with the front legs. They can also do the latter when they are in pain, they reassure themselves with this. But then you see the whiskers clearly different.

Young cats whiskers

A kitten is born deaf and blind, but the whiskers work from the first moment after birth. A kitten will soon try to crawl and walk around the nest. After all, in addition to being a mother for drinking, warmth, and safety, a kitten also immediately seeks out ‘the world’. At least that’s what a kitten will try and for that reason, there are sometimes cat mothers who bite off parts of their kittens’ whiskers.

In this way, the freedom of movement of the young kittens is temporarily considerably restricted and the mother cat does not have to constantly look for her kittens. This is good for the mother cat’s mood and safer for the kittens.

cats whiskers

Finally

The cats whiskers say more than we often realize. It may say something about her state of mind, but she also navigates with it. In short, the cat uses those apparently ‘difficult’ hard hairs almost continuously and that makes them very important for the animal.

Tags: cats
Julia Henriques

Julia Henriques

Julia Henriques, a pet blogger with 5 years of experience, retired from a 35-year banking career to become the editor of the Pet Rescue Blog in 2019. She's passionate about her pet dog Joy, whom she's had since 2016, and now shares her expertise on pet care and natural healthcare options. Julia resides in Chicago with her partner Marc and their rescued Samoyed, Tarka.

Related Posts

Stress-Free Cat Boarding
Cats

The Ultimate Guide to Stress-Free Cat Boarding: What Every Owner Needs to Know

13
Slim young mother and little son launch their beautiful gray Scottish Fold cat into their new apartment in the living room. The concept of tradition with housewarming.
Cats

How to Prepare Your Home for a New Cat: Essential Steps for a Smooth Transition

36
Playful Prowess
Cats

Uncovering the Adorable Antics that Make Cats So Lovable

35
Next Post
Purebred dog: papillon dog breed

Purebred dog: papillon dog breed

Cat Ear Infection

Cat Ear Infection Symptoms, Pitchers and Treatment Detailed Guide

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Follow Us on Google News

Pet Rescue Blog on Google News

Categories

  • Behavior (18)
  • Birds (32)
  • Cat Breeds (18)
  • Cat Names (2)
  • Cats (118)
  • CBD (22)
  • Chicken (24)
  • Dog Breed (55)
  • Dog Names (5)
  • Dog Park (4)
  • Dogs (337)
  • Events (3)
  • Facts (5)
  • Featured (59)
  • Fish (25)
  • Fitness (6)
  • Food (56)
  • Goat (3)
  • Grooming (16)
  • Hamster (3)
  • Health (107)
  • Horse (46)
  • Infographics (2)
  • Insects (10)
  • Insurance (13)
  • List (3)
  • Mixed Dog Breeds (14)
  • NEWS (6)
  • Our Pet (5)
  • Pet Accessories (10)
  • Pet Care (2)
  • Pet Names (4)
  • Pets (234)
  • Rabbits (22)
  • Reptile (9)
  • Reviews (22)
  • Rodents (9)
  • Senior Dog (1)
  • Training (36)
  • Travel (8)
  • Vets (9)
  • Video (9)
  • Wild (5)
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram Youtube
Pet Rescue Blog Logo

Pet Rescue Blog is a pet blog dedicated to educating and inspiring readers about pet adoption and rescue. It features a variety of content, including heartwarming adoption stories, expert advice on pet care, and news about animal welfare issues.

Follow Us on Social Media

Categories

  • Behavior
  • Birds
  • Cat Breeds
  • Cat Names
  • Cats
  • CBD
  • Chicken
  • Dog Breed
  • Dog Names
  • Dog Park
  • Dogs
  • Events
  • Facts
  • Featured
  • Fish
  • Fitness
  • Food
  • Goat
  • Grooming
  • Hamster
  • Health
  • Horse
  • Infographics
  • Insects
  • Insurance
  • List
  • Mixed Dog Breeds
  • NEWS
  • Our Pet
  • Pet Accessories
  • Pet Care
  • Pet Names
  • Pets
  • Rabbits
  • Reptile
  • Reviews
  • Rodents
  • Senior Dog
  • Training
  • Travel
  • Vets
  • Video
  • Wild

Navigation

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Dog Breeds
  • Adopt a Pet
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • HTML Sitemap

© 2019 - 23 Pet Rescue Blog - Your Source for Pet Rescue Stories and Solutions

No Result
View All Result
  • Pets
  • Breeds
    • Dog Breed
    • Mixed Dog Breeds
    • Cat Breeds
  • Food
  • Adopt a pet
    • Adopt a Pet in Houston
    • Rescue Dogs in New York City
  • Fitness
  • Pet Care
    • Training
    • Health
  • Reviews
    • List
  • Shop
  • More
    • Pet Names
      • Boy Cat Names
      • Female Cat Names
      • Horse Names
      • Bird Names
    • Coupons
    • Infographics
    • Video

© 2019 - 23 Pet Rescue Blog - Your Source for Pet Rescue Stories and Solutions

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.