Everything a cat has has a very specific use, as far as a cat’s whiskers are concerned, they are precious for many things without us necessarily noticing it. So what are cat whiskers for? I tell you everything in this article.
What are cat whiskers for?
To give you a short answer, his whiskers allow him to navigate well by correctly apprehending his environment. It is one of the well-known key factors of its balance and which helps it to detect movements.
Cats have between 8 and 12 vibrissae on each side of the muzzle, and do not dare to touch them under pain of aggression because they are very sensitive, being rich in nerve endings. Whiskers are also present above his eyes.
The different uses of cat whiskers
Feline whiskers have several primary uses, all of which relate to its mobility and precision of movement. Here’s what the cat’s whiskers are for.
To know the width of an area
If cats manage to slip with precision into small spaces, it is because their mustache allows them to measure the width of a passage, a formidable weapon for this outstanding predator.
So, if your cat goes to places that seem inaccessible to us for an animal of this size, it is thanks to its whiskers. He knows precisely whether or not he can enter it or not.
To detect variations in the air
The whiskers allow him to accurately sense the wind and different features of the atmosphere. This is what makes cats so efficient at hunting. Indeed, they can use the wind to conceal their scent from prey and sneak around in total darkness with disconcerting ease.
This is also what allows him to leap with unparalleled precision and to fall back to balance in the vast majority of cases. His whiskers help him know precisely how to use his body in relation to air conditions.
To avoid obstacles
The whiskers serve as sensory sensors and allow him to avoid obstacles by using them when they are frolicking or agitated. You have probably noticed that even at high speed, cats never bump into each other and it is thanks to their whiskers.
To indicate his state of mind
To evolve in its environment, the cat communicates with other animals or people and its whiskers, like its ears, allow it to easily do so. For example, whiskers stretched forward are a sign that he is stressed, and if those whiskers are straight, then he is angry.
Ears, eyes and whiskers are these communication tools, well before meowing which is only used as a last resort.
What are the main uses of a cat’s mustache?
To be more concrete, here is what a cat’s whiskers are for:
- Not to hurt themselves: Thanks to their ability to detect objects around them and to better balance themselves in perilous situations.
- To make up for their bad eyesight: Cats have very bad eyesight but their whiskers allow them to make up for this problem.
- To live better at night: Cats love the night, they see much better than us and their whiskers allow us to better understand their environment.
- To hunt: The whiskers of cats make them terrible hunters who are ready to pounce on anything he moves in a precise way.
The characteristics of the mustache
To give you an idea of what a cat’s whisker is, it’s like hair, but very sensitive and stiffer, although it’s still composed of keratin . The mustache is present around the nostrils and above the eyes, although much smaller at this level.
The whiskers, which make up the cat’s whiskers, are renewed and if you see him losing a whisker, it’s normal, if yours loses all these whiskers, you will however have to go to the veterinarian.
Cats have whiskers that grow back, it is essential for them given their fragility.
Interesting facts about cat’s whiskers
The cat’s whiskers can first change color as they age, becoming gray or black, it’s a bit the opposite of us and our hair.
Then you should never cut them, you would handicap your cat by cutting his whiskers, he would be unable to orient himself correctly.
What are cat’s whiskers for: The final word
Cats use their whiskers to navigate and all that that entails. It is a fundamental aspect of his body.