Why do cats have whiskers?

Answer 1

~They are "feelers" they use them to judge whether or not they can fit their bodies in something. They also use them to balance themselves.
And maybe because it makes them look so darn cute!~

Answer 2

Rob F has a good addition to the answer.. whiskers are very sensitive to currents/vibrations in the air. The whiskers help the cat 'feel' its way, judge spaces it may want to squeeze through and is an extra way to sense things around it.
Don't clip the cat's whiskers, ever!! They even have them on their legs.

Answer 3

What do the cats whiskers do? The whiskers on the cat are specialized sensory hairs grouped in three specific locations on the cats head.

Answer 4

the whiskers are so when they try to go thru gaps they know if they can fit thru if there whiskers fit they will fit thru. as a child i cut off the whiskers of a cat i had it was always getting stuck in the fence and it was to stupid that once it got stuck not to do that again. don't know what happened to the cat it just disappeared !!!

Answer 5

The whiskers are the same width and height as the cat so it'll know if it can fit through a gap just by sticking its nose through.

Answer 6

Because they can't be bothered to shave,
No seriously it is something to do with it being with the length of the whiskers is the width of their wides part (hips) and if the whiskers are disbursed then they know they will not fit in that hole or space,

Answer 7

If a cat wants to move through a hole, small space and its whiskers touches both sides, it knows its body cant go through. Important evolutionary development for the cat's hunting style, i.e. chasing small mammals

Answer 8

They have whiskers to help them measure gaps to see if they can fit through them, whickers are normally the width of their body, so fat cats have huge whiskers.

here's something funny, when i was about 8 i thought i'd give my cats whiskers a trim coz i thought they we're getting long, although my mum and dad found this funny, the cat got stuck in the fence in the garden...oops. i still get reminded of this regularly!!!

:D

Answer 9

Cat whiskers are very specialized hairs called tactile hairs. Their roots are about three times longer and deeper than normal hairs, and are surrounded by many blood vessels and nerves, which make them extremely sensitive -- able to detect subtle motions like a gentle breeze or vibration. Cats use this sensitive form of touch to navigate with agility in dark and narrow spaces.

Answer 10

Cat's whiskers are not decoration, they fulfil the functions of vital importance. Thanks to them cats receive different information. Whiskers are keenly reflect to minor irritation, catch vibrations of air and it is not obligatory to touch the objects, it's enough to catch air currents which appear during cat's approaching to different objects. The minor vibration of the tip of the hair is transferred to the root where it is perceived by sensitive nerves endings and then they immediately inform brain.

In the facial mimics whiskers play a very important role. Cat may move them forward during the pleasant wait for caress or press them to the muzzle during the angry grin.

Answer 11

they have whiskers because they are like feelers, very sensetive & if the whiskers can fit through a hole in a fence or hedge then the cats body can too. because its body is always slimmer than its whiskers. ( unless your rotten & you trim them of course )