Being humans, we may grow a beard or maintain a mustache purely for style points, however, the hair grown on feline faces serve a much more important function. In fact, whiskers are so vital to our cats’ everyday lives that they nearly act as their third eye. Let’s reveal the mysteries behind our furry friend’s tactile hairs below as we describe what whiskers are, what functions they serve, and how to provide optimal health to your cat’s whisker longevity.
What are Whiskers?
While whiskers erupt from hair follicles just like other hair on our cat’s bodies, there’s multiple observable reasons as to why they stand out. The roots of our cat’s whiskers are three times deeper than regular hair, not to mention that they’re much thicker and coarser in comparison. Feline whiskers are typically located on their cheeks, chin, ears, upper lip, over their eyes, and even on their forelegs. Most cats have 12 whiskers on each of their cheeks, although the quantity and pattern of each feline’s whisker placement varies depending on the breed. Just how human’s touch objects to obtain a physical sensation of its material, weight, and more, feline whiskers behave in a similar manner as they’re packed with sensitive nerves which deliver information to the cat.
What Function Do Whiskers Serve?
Whiskers grow from follicles that are surrounded by blood vessels and sensory cells which transmit tactile information to the feline’s brain. Cats don’t only just feel sensations on their whiskers when rubbing up against objects, but they also notice small vibrations from wind passing by. Below we list all the observable reasons as to why cats have whiskers:
- Navigation: While cat’s have excellent night vision (read our article on cat vision here), their whiskers assist them when moving around in the pitch black.
- Communication: When communicating with humans or other animals, cats can adjust the position of their whiskers to convey relaxation, stress, discomfort, pain, contentment, and many other emotions.
- Determine Whether They Can Fit Through Spaces: Feline whiskers are generally as wide as their body, so if their whiskers touch the edges of a surface then it may indicate that they should find a different route.
- Bodily Protection: Cats don’t have the best vision up close, so whiskers can protect their face from running into hazardous objects.
- Orientation: These thick tactile hairs help cats fine-tune their hunting skills and body orientation by the waygravity pulls on their whiskers.
Additional Cat Whisker Facts
Many people make the unfortunate mistake of cutting their cats whiskers as part of their pet grooming regime. We highly advice against trimming your cat’s whiskers as this uncomfortable practice can leave your furry friend disgruntled and disoriented. Fortunately, their whiskers grow back after roughly 3-4 weeks, however they won’t be very happy during this interim period. Cat’s will occasionally shed their whiskers in a process to regrow new whiskers, although this process is natural and shouldn’t be tampered with.
Ensuring Optimal Feline Health
If your cat sheds their whiskers and they don’t grow back within a three-week period, this may be an indicator for various health issues including:
- Fungal infections such as Ringworm
- Bacterial infections
- Allergies
- Thyroid conditions
- A hidden bodily injury
- Chronic stress and anxiety
The best way to ensure your cat has optimal whisker health is to maintain their overall health through dietary supplementation. For an optimum diet, be sure to sprinkle a scoop of Dr. Bill’s Feline Ultimate Fitness & Health on their food every day. Feline Fitness & Health is a delicious, concentrated nutritional powder, scientifically formulated to provide a balanced blend of 50 nutrients that support optimum fitness and health in growing, physically mature, and senior cats. Designed to promote a strong, lean body, a healthy immune system, a balanced digestive tract, flexible joints, plus healthy eye, whisker, heart, and brain function. Feline Fitness & Health is safe for growing and adult cats of all ages.
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