7 Amazing facts about cat’s whiskers

One of the most interesting feature in a cat’s body are their whiskers. Children find them amusing, they love pulling it much to the cat’s annoyance and abhorrence. But, why do cat’s have whiskers? It’s quite fascinating really! Whiskers act as your cat’s inbuilt GPS that helps them navigate to the right places. They also serve as a metre to gauge their mood.

Here are more incredible facts about your cat’s whiskers:

• Cat whiskers are very sensitive – A cat’s whiskers are enmeshed deeply in their skin and the area around them is sensitive as it has nerves and blood. That is why the cat’s whiskers are so sensitive that they can even detect the smallest change in the direction of breeze. So, if anyone harms their whiskers it will be very painful for them. Children must always be taught not to pull a cat’s whiskers.
• Whiskers are not found just near the nose – Apart from the 8 to 12 whiskers your cat has on either side of their nose, they also have short whiskers above their eyes, chin and at the backs of their lower front legs.
• Whiskers will help them figure where they can fit – The whiskers near your cat’s nose can help them decide if an opening is big enough for them to fit in.
• Whiskers can help your cat position their prey – Cats have long sight. They cannot see things that are close to them. So, when it is time to catch their prey whether it is a toy or a mouse they need to know when their prey is at the right position for them to attack. Their whiskers help them to do so.
• Cat whiskers help to gauge their emotional state – The position of your cat’s whiskers is a good indicator of their mood. If their whiskers appear relaxed and at ease at the sides then they are calm. If the whiskers are pushed forward it means they are excited and are alert. If they get flattened against the cheeks it means they are either scared or angry.
• Cat whiskers must not be cut – Cats shed their whiskers naturally. You must never trim or cut them as they might feel disoriented and confused because they would have lost their inbuilt GPS system making navigation difficult. It is as good as someone blindfolding you for weeks together and you are not able to do a thing about it!
• Cat whiskers can change colour – It is not only humans that show visible signs of aging in the form of grey hair. Your cat can show signs of aging as well when you notice a white whisker. It can be clearly seen when it grows on a dark coloured cat.