Cats' Whiskers

 

hiskers! Some of us may have heard that cats use their whiskers to measure space if the whiskers fit, and so does your cat but is this true? In short, yes!

Did you know that cats don't just have whiskers on either side of their nose? They also have whiskers on their upper lip, above their eyes (eyebrow), on their jaw, and, believe it or not, on the backs of their front legs!

Cat whiskers are more than just "hairs" that tickle our faces when we snuggle and kiss our furry friends; whiskers send information about your cat's surroundings to her nervous system. While your cat's whiskers don't actually "feel" anything, they do sense changes in air flow or when an object brushes up against them. The whiskers vibrate, which sends signals to the nervous system and brain. By sensing these subtle changes, cat whiskers transmit information about nearby objects' size, shape, and speed. This helps them navigate their environment especially at night!