What are the whiskers on the top of a cat’s head?

What are cat whiskers? The significant role the sense of touch and eyesight play in humans can be likened to the role the whiskers of cat’s play. Whiskers are not just there to add beauty to the body, but they act as a receptor of information that helps the cat to be sensitive to the activities in and around the house, both day and night. Click here for product information…

The cat whiskers

The whiskers are thicker in size and longer in length when compared to the hair on the body of cats. Vibrissa is the Latin name for one cat whisker while Vibrissae is the plural to signify two or more whiskers. As your cat grows it sheds her whiskers for new and stronger ones to grow back into place. The hole-like shape where the cat whiskers grow out from are called whisker pads and the organization of these pads assists your cat in protecting herself.

The layout of cat whiskers indicate the mode she is currently in. Straight out whiskers indicate happiness and relaxation, while pulled back whiskers indicate sadness.

The important role of cat whiskers

There is a blood supply directly under each whisker of your cat’s skin. These blood supplies act as a medium to transport signals from the nerves to the brain whenever anything comes in contact with the whiskers. On receiving the signal on her brain, the cat respond by taking a defensive position so she can protect herself.

Cats are nocturnal creatures, that means they love to carry out a host of activities at night including hunting and playing. For instance, when your cat is hunting, she places all of her focus and attention on the prey before her. Although her eyes are on the prey, she uses her whiskers as a sensor receptor to notify herself of things around her. The whiskers are called superciliary Whiskers.

Tufts Above the Eyes

Ever notice the long hair above the eyes of your cat and wondered what it is? Well don’t be alarmed, they are whiskers and they act as a sensory device that helps the cat to sense danger. They help the cat is carrying out her day to day activity in and around the house.

Whisker Precautions

Whiskers are there as a sensory device for your cats and as such, you should take precaution when trimming them. If you notice, when cats shed their whiskers, they only shed one or two and not everything so as not to deprive themselves of their sensory attributes. It is advisable not to trim them and allow nature take its course. If you trim the whiskers yourself, it may take up to three or four months for them to grow back and in that time, they will lack their sensory protection.