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A cat's whiskers are supposed to be as wide as the cat, so that it can judge what it can fit through, and I've found this seems to be true. On a skinny cat, long whiskers tend to curve down at the end, so they're still as wide as the cat. I had a little female that had really long whiskers, but she was just a tiny little thing. Her whiskers curved down so far on the ends that it almost made her look like she had a beard! I used to tell her she looked a little like Colonel Sanders, LOL.

I also read that the longer whiskers are supposed to fall out and make way for shorter whiskers if the cat gets skinnier, and this might be so, but I've really noticed the curving whiskers on my cats more.

Cave

2007-01-30 04:28:08 · answer #1 · answered by caveman 3 · 0 0

If the length of the cat’s whiskers does change it’s very minimal. Cats use their “tactile hairs” (these are the rows of whiskers on their cheeks) for three purposes: navigation, showing emotions, and to gauge the size of an opening – as you know already.

Felines mostly use whiskers for getting around. They are so sensitive that they can feel the slightest movement of air and scientists think they can also pick-up changes in barometric pressure. This allows cats to move around even on the darkest of nights. The whiskers are able to pick up the subtle air currents around various objects – allowing the cat to form a picture of what is ahead and around them just by what their whiskers are telling them. This is why even a blind cat is able to make its way across a room without clunking into a chair.

The whiskers also serve as an indicator of the cat’s general mood. If the whiskers are pulled back and appear flattened against the cat it’s a defensive or even hostile indicator – a sort of “hands off, keep away” announcement. If the whiskers are forward, slightly up and even twitching this conveys that the cat is happy or at least at ease. This could also demonstrate that the cat is curious about something – the same emotional indicators for a happy cat are nearly identical to that of a curious cat.

Finally they use the whiskers as a benchmark when looking at openings. A cat’s whiskers are “roughly” as wide as its body – felines use this as a sort of “rule of thumb” when poking their heads into a restrictive space. Cats have an amazing ability to twist-and-turn, so even if a cats whiskers brush both sides of an opening they may opt to continue on in.

We’re all are aware of the whiskers on a cat’s cheeks (this area is actually called the whisker pads), but they also have whiskers above their eyes, under their chin, and on the backs of their front legs.

Hope this helps. --Andy

2007-01-30 06:10:07 · answer #2 · answered by Andy 5 · 0 0

You asked some questions and made some "awkward" comments too. If he's getting too fat you're able to be very worried, provided that that does no longer be in any respect healthful on your cat. additionally, you're able to think of it would be hilarious, i might think of it would be tragic. Whiskers may well be a type of gauge, although, provided that assorted cats do get caught in unusual places, i assume that theory may well be skipped over. appropriate?

2016-11-01 21:30:35 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

when you gain weight does your hair get fuller?

2007-02-02 22:22:13 · answer #4 · answered by kewlchica 2 · 0 0

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