Cross Breeds

Why do cats have wiskers coming from there heads lol??

just wondering :P

Public Comments

1. I've heard it so they can see if they will fit through small holes. Something to do with, if their whiskers fit through without bending then the whole cat can get through.............apparantly?
2. That is because if they are about to get stuck somwhere small their whiskers feel the edge of eg a tunnel they no it is too small a space.
3. Really its very intresting and nothing to be ashamed of wondering about. The whiskers actually can sence things I really can't explain how that works just know heard about it on an animal show.
4. Its so that they can feel their way through the dark, they're sorta like antennas...lol, but not like the bug kind
5. If you look closely, you will also notice whiskers around the paw area, at the top of the pads ( where a wrist would be if they had our anatomy) also behind their cheeks are a few small ones. I have heard that there are some kind of glands at these areas, around the whole head, so that when they rub they are releasing their scent and marking their territory. Also when a de-clawed cat "scratches" a piece of furniture, the glands behind the paw marks the object.
6. they also have whiskers on their legs too
7. If you look at the whiskers, you will probably notice that they are pretty much the diameter of the cats body. The whiskers can sense the diameter of holes with their whiskers and avoid getting stuck somewhere. Kinda like a little kid with his head stuck in the stair bannisters.....it can get stuck in there alot easier than it can get out. The cats whiskers help prevent this from happening. If you ever observe a cat sticking his head in and out of a hole a couple of times before entering....he/she is judging whether it's body will be able to fit. The whiskers also can serve as as aid in navigating in the dark. They can sense changes in the air currents around objects and navigate around them.
8. well whiskers are for feeling things, so i am guessing the ones on their head if for when there is something low like a drawer that has space under it they can feel if its too low or just fine.
9. cats have whiskers all over their bodies, they are like extra sensory receptors that help them judge how wide or close something is in the dark.