What do cats use their whiskers for?
Cats typically have a total of 24 whiskers (12 on each side), located just under the nose and above the mouth. Whiskers are made of keratin, which is the same material that human finger nails are made of.
Whiskers are not just any normal hairs. They have a lot of functions, including being able to sense air currents and relay important information to the cat. Cats use their whiskers as a sensory tool, alerting them about things that are going on in their environment. Cat’s whiskers actually have a similar function to an antenna on an insect. When a cat’s whiskers come into contact with something, it alerts the nerves in the face, and sometimes causes an immediate involuntary action. For example, if an object rubs up against a cat’s whiskers, the cat might immediately shut one of its eyes to prevent the substance from getting inside their eye.
Whiskers can also be used to transmit a cat’s emotions. For example, if a cat is happy, their whiskers will perk up above their nose. If a cat feels like they are in danger, their whiskers will point outwards away from their face.
Do cats like it when you touch their whiskers?
This totally depends on the type of cat, but just touching your cat’s whisker will not hurt your cat. This is because cats actually have no sensory cells on their whiskers, and thus can’t feel anything when you touch them. Sometimes it can be fun to lightly to see their reaction. They might automatically close an eye, or put on a funny facial expression.
You should be careful not to pull on your cat’s whiskers. This is because your cat has a bunch of sensory nerves located at the base of the whisker hair follicle. This area is very sensitive for your cat, and if you pull on the hair and can definitely be uncomfortable for you cat.
Also, if you happen to pull out one of your cat’s whiskers, it will then leave your cat at a disadvantage. It will be a lot harder for them to feel out their environment which can put them at risk.
Do cat whiskers grow back?
Cat whiskers do grow back, but very slowly. Similar to eyelashes, it can take months or even years for a cat’s whisker to grow back.
