What are a cat's whiskers for?

Answer 1

Measures distance of openings etc-if opening as wide as the end of whiskers from one side to the next then safe to go into if not as wide then its too small-also play a role in balance.go to www.science.howstuffworks.com tells you all about cat whiskers,how deep rooted where there are a lot of nerves and its the whiskers by detecting air currents etc that enable a cat to walk in a dark room and not bump into things for air currents are denser where furniture is and so on. Do Not Ever trim these whiskers-also have whiskers on top of eyebrows and other places.

Answer 2

also known as "tactile hairs" or vibrissae, whiskers are the long, thick, flexible hairs on a cat's face. These hairs are located in horizontal rows on the whisker pad, the puffy area between the top corners of your cat's mouth and the outer edges of his nose. Whiskers, like hair and nails, do fall out and are replaced. But whiskers are different from the cat's body hair in a few ways:

* Whiskers should never be cut or trimmed (we'll discuss why later).
* Whiskers are two to three times thicker than the cat's hair.
* Whiskers are rooted very deep in the cat's face, in an area rich in nerves and blood vessels.

In addition to having the long tactile hairs on their cheeks, cats also have shorter ones above their eyebrows, on their chin and on the back of their front legs. Since we are most familiar with facial whiskers, let's look at what they are good for:

* Navigation
* Mood indication
* Measuring an opening

Whiskers help the cat feel his way around. Whiskers are so sensitive that they can detect the slightest directional change in a breeze. At night, for example, this helps a cat slink its way through a room and not bump into anything. How? The air currents in the room change depending on where pieces of furniture are located. As the cat walks through the room and approaches the couch, he'll know which direction to turn based on the change in air current around the couch.

In addition to having sensory properties, a cat's whiskers are also a good indicator of his mood. When a cat is angry or feels defensive, the whiskers will be pulled back. Otherwise, when the cat is happy, curious or content, the whiskers will be more relaxed and pushed forward.

But the whisker's primary use is to help a cat judge whether or not he'll fit through an opening. A cat's whiskers are roughly as wide as his body -- sort of a natural ruler. The whisker tips are sensitive to pressure. You'll probably see a cat stick his head in and out of an opening before he puts his body in. He's judging the width of the opening, and is determining if he can fit into it. An interesting note: cats don't have a true collar bone, like humans. This allows them to turn and twist their way through very narrow openings.

Answer 3

A cat has about twenty-four movable whiskers, twelve on each side of its nose (some cat's may have more). Whiskers are more than twice as thick as ordinary hairs, and their roots are set three times deeper than hairs in a cat's tissue. Richly supplied with nerve endings, whiskers give cats extraordinarily detailed information about air movements, air pressure and anything they touch.

The scientific word for whiskers is vibrissae, a name that suggests their exquisite sensitivity to vibrations in air currents. As air swirls and eddies around objects, whiskers vibrate too. Cats use messages in these vibrations to sense the presence, size, and shape of obstacles without seeing or touching them. Whiskers are also good hunting tools. A cat whose whiskers have been damaged may bite the wrong part of a mouse it's attacking, indicating that signals from these delicate structures provide cats with vital information about the shape and activity of its prey - interestingly, whiskers also help cats smell odours.

Whiskers can also be a bother to a cat, especially if he tries to eat food out of a bowl. The end of the whiskers touching the side of the bowl transfer irritating sensations to his brain, making it hard for him to continue eating.

Whiskers are extremely sensitive as they are closely connected to the nervous system. Any damage to his whiskers will cause your cat discomfort, and he may become confused or disoriented. DON'T ever trim his whiskers, and DON'T ever wash them, he will keep them clean himself.

When kittens are cleaned by their mother, she may chew off some or all of the whiskers - don't worry, this is normal and they will soon grow back.

Cats also have a number of reinforced hairs similar to whiskers on other parts of their bodies: over the eyes, on the chin and at the back of the legs.

Answer 4

Cats whiskers are a bit like sonar and help to guide them about in the dark and tight spots they might get themselves into.

Cats should be lithe slim animals so that if their whiskers will fit through a space then the cat knows that its body can follow and fit through wherever it might be attempting to go.

Answer 5

Cat's whispers are for feeling their way around in the darkness. The whiskers should be at least as wide as its head.

Answer 6

so they don't get stuck and to feel objectects...it gives them a guideline for how much room they have ...if their whiskers touch the side it may mean their body won't fit in the space

as an indication ...my cat won't drink out of the bottom of the bowl ...i have to fill it to the top when it's already 3/4 full! oh course all cats don't respond the same ...but the reason is the same

Answer 7

Balance.....and to judge width of a space, their whiskers are as long as their bodies are wide. The tips touch and help the cat maneuver.

Answer 8

Whiskers tell the cat if it can fit through a hole or not!

Answer 9

I was under the impression they use it to judge whether the hole they are going to crawl through is wide enough. the whiskers represent the width of their body.

Answer 10

BALANCE! My cat had her whiskers burnt off (from being too close to a candle and getting curious) (Don't worry, she was ok) and he had a terrible time with balance. It was kind of funny actually. Kind of sad too.