Why do cats have whiskers? What purpose/function do they serve?

Answer 1

to judge distance so they can navigate in tight corners it also help them with there balance along with there tail.

Answer 2

A cat's whiskers are its "fingers" to the world around them. The cat can feel tiny vibrations through its whiskers and this is a great tool for their hunting expeditions. Notice how the cat holds its whiskers forward when it is alert and at play. The whiskers are also used by the cat to navigate around the dark and in tight spaces. They tell the cat whether he can fit into a space like a tunnel or not becuase the whiskers are as long as the width of their bodies. It has been noted that blind cats will grow extra thick and long whiskers to compensate for their disability.

Answer 3

Vibrissae (singular: vibrissa), or whiskers, are hairs, usually specialized for tactile sensation, that grow around the nostrils or other parts of the face in most mammals. In addition to the facial area, they can also be found on the wrists of the forelegs of cats. They are usually thicker and stiffer than other types of hair. The term is also used in reference to the stiff feathers near the mouths of some birds.
Vibrissae consist of inert material and contain no nerves. What makes vibrissae different from other hairs is that they are implanted in a special follicle sealed by a capsule of blood, called a blood sinus. Touching a vibrissa causes it to bend, and the blood in the sinus is pushed to one side or the other. The blood amplifies the movement and allows the nerves at the base to detect extremely small deflections. In some mammals, the follicles of vibrissae are surrounded by a highly developed sheath of muscle tissue which can be used to move the whiskers. Whiskers can grow extremely long; the length of a chinchilla's whiskers can be up to a third of its body length.
Vibrissae offer an advantage to animals that do not always have sight to rely on to navigate or to find food, or when the usefulness of non-tactile senses is limited. Some animals, such as house mice, can detect air movements with their vibrissae. A large part of the brain of many mammals is devoted to processing the nerve impulses from vibrissae because it is important to their survival. Mammals use a great deal of energy to keep the follicles housing their whiskers warm and ready to use.

Answer 4

the whiskers are "feelers". They are as wide as the cats head and if the whiskers won't fit through an opening then the cat won't even try to go through it because it knows it's head won't fit.

Also, the whiskers are very sensitive to pain so don't cut them...it will hurt the cat and knock em off balance.

Answer 5

I think Calais is correct. The whiskers above their eyes equal there height, and the whiskers around the mouth equal their width. Therefore like Calais says, if they bend, kitty can't fit.

Answer 6

Cats whiskers aid in their equilibrium and also with finding their way around.

Answer 7

I'm probably wrong but I think they're some kind of sensor to help the cat maintain direction or something. Don't take my word for sure.

Answer 8

because if it want to go though the fence its whiskers measure whether it will fit or not

Answer 9

balance and sense as in if their whiskers dont fit through a hole then their body wont ( I think ???)

Answer 10

From what I was always taught...they use them as sort of a guide. It lets them know if they fit through openings. Like a sensing feature.