Why do cats need whiskers? What are the whiskers on a cat called? Why does a cat need a mustache? A cat has long mustaches.

In this article I will discuss the purpose of cat whiskers. I will give a definition of what cats' whiskers are called in the scientific world. I will outline what functions a cat’s whiskers perform, why they are needed, and what will happen if they are cut off. I will note for what reasons the whiskers fall out and why the cat gnaws them off the kittens.

Why do cats need whiskers? Whiskers are a sensitive organ of touch for cats.

With the help of its whiskers, the animal navigates space, studies surrounding objects and finds prey.

This organ acts as a collector of information that it transmits to the brain.

Areas of the body where the mustache is located:

On both sides of the nose.
Above the eyes.
On the sides of the head.
On the ankles of the front paws.
On the tail.

In total, the animal has from 30 to 35 whiskers with an average length of 5-6 cm. The largest number of them is located on the head.

The scientific name for animal whiskers is vibrissae. The word comes from the Latin vibrissae, which means to oscillate, to wriggle.

How are vibrissae arranged?

Vibrissae are long, coarse hairs that protrude beyond the coat. Each hair originates from a hair follicle surrounded by nerve endings. This organ of touch is mobile, which is ensured by contraction of the striated muscles.

Any, even slight, environmental impact is transmitted to its root and irritates the cells of the nerve endings. The received information is transmitted to the brain and analyzed by the animal.

Each individual has its own area in the sensory region of the brain. The overall picture of the environment is made up of incoming visual and tactile information. At night, the sense of touch has advantages, since it does not depend on external factors.

Vibrissae help determine the distance to an object standing in the way. In the dark, the animal easily bypasses obstacles and rushes at the prey with precision.

This is explained by the fact that objects reflect vibrations and air masses, which are captured by sensitive vibrissae.

It is believed that those located on the sides of the muzzle determine the diameter of the hole into which it is trying to climb. If the animal is overly fat, there is a possibility of getting stuck.

When hunting, a cat relies not only on sight and hearing, but also on touch.

With the help of its whiskers, the animal determines the direction of the wind and searches for a suitable smell.

As a rule, when hunting, a cat moves against the wind to hide its scent and have control over the prey.

Moving ones signal the cat’s mood. A friendly animal spreads its whiskers to the sides and forward, which also shows interest. An aggressive attitude causes the animal to press its whiskers to its head. The vibrissae of an animal at rest are motionless.

If you touch a cat's whiskers while she is sleeping, she will react and open her eyes.

Vibrissae warn the owner of possible danger. Touching branches, grass and walls, they cause a reflex to close an eye or dodge. This protects the cat from possible mechanical damage.

In case of hearing or vision loss, the mustache becomes the main source of information.

Life without a mustache

If for some reason they are removed or shortened, he loses half the ability to navigate in space.

If most of the whiskers are lost, the animal appears more confused and awkward.

From now on, he will not be able to quickly respond to a changing situation. The former dexterity when catching prey or toys is lost. At dusk, a pet without a mustache bumps into objects and cannot calculate its jump.

The loss of the whiskers will result in the loss of most of the information for the cat.

An animal without whiskers becomes inferior and vulnerable to environmental manifestations.

For what reasons does a cat lose whiskers?

As it wears out, the mustache falls out, making room for a new one. This process does not depend on general molting. The mustache never falls off all at once.

Shortening or loss of the mustache occurs for the following reasons:

Someone deliberately damaged the mustache by cutting or tearing it out.
The groomer, cutting the hair of the head, also touched the mustache.
During a fight with other animals, the whisker was damaged.
Whiskers are scorched when in contact with fire.
Lack of vitamin D and A in the body due to poor nutrition.
Hypothyroidism.
Skin diseases.
Allergy.

If mustache loss is associated with health problems, other signs of abnormality appear.

If you suspect a disease, contact a veterinarian for examination.

Why does a cat chew off its kittens' whiskers?

A kitten's whiskers form in the womb.

A newborn kitten explores the world around them with their help. It is believed that the mother cat chews off the vibrissae of the kittens so that they are less oriented in space and remain in the nest.

Another version suggests a lack of nutrients in the cat’s body. Perhaps she needs coarse fiber to remove hair from her stomach. The animal often licks the kittens for a long time and the amount of hair that gets into the cat’s mouth increases.

To ensure that your cat has enough vitamins and minerals, she is given a nutritious, balanced diet. This can be super premium food or a natural diet according to the BARF system. Fresh herbs grown at home should be constantly available.

The length and color of the whiskers are determined by the cat's genetics.

Some breeds become the owners of the longest and most numerous mustaches. These include Maine Coons, Siberian and Norwegian forest cats.

Hairless cats, as well as cats with curly and coarse hair, have short and curled whiskers. In some cases, the cat has no whiskers at all. Large ears and eyes help such animals navigate in space.

Not only representatives of the cat family have whiskers, but also many other animals, such as dogs, rats, beavers, raccoons, etc. Interestingly, for rats, whiskers mainly serve the function of touch, while beavers and seals need them to search food in underwater conditions.

Beautiful and long whiskers are an absolute advantage of every cat. With the appearance of a little furry friend in the house, children often wonder: “Why do cats need whiskers?” But even adults do not always guess their true purpose.

Often, a child strives to play “cat groomer” and trim his beloved pet’s whiskers. But what will be the consequences of such a game? mustache? What function do they perform? How necessary are they? Why does a cat need a mustache? Let's try to answer these and some other questions.

Also among the many questions, there is a common question about what cats' whiskers are called. Cat whiskers have a scientific name - vibrissae (vibrissae from the Latin. vibrate, oscillate) or as they are also called “tactile hairs”. They are very flexible, thickened and long formations, the roots of which lead to the area of blood vessels and nerve endings. Vibrissae are dead formations similar in nature to ordinary hair. The average length of a cat's whiskers is about 6-7 cm.

Cat's whiskers in the Guinness Book of Records

The longest mustache on a cat was recorded by the Guinness Book of Records. The record holder was a Maine Coon cat living in Finland, named Messi. The length of his mustache reached 19 cm.

Whiskers reflect your pet's mood

By the direction of the whiskers, you can easily determine the mood of the representative. If the whiskers are directed forward, the animal is clearly excited and shows curiosity. On the contrary, being pressed is evidence of aggression. A dormant animal's whiskers are in a relaxed state.

Mustache: briefly about the main thing

Let's figure out why a cat needs a mustache?

It is known that in a kitten in the embryonic stage, the first developing hairs are the vibrissae. This state of affairs is not accidental and is explained by the fact that it is the mustache that first of all helps the baby establish contact with the environment with which he is surrounded.

The whiskers send nerve impulses that are recognized by brain cells. The visual function of the eyes is carried out according to the same scheme. By summing up these signals, the cat perceives the world around it.

To answer the question of why a cat needs a mustache, let’s remember what a graceful animal it is. Its grace and maneuverability are also achieved thanks to the vibrissae. It is the “tactile hairs” that allow you to feel the direction of air flows, which is of considerable importance when making a jump, at the moment of falling and during normal movement. The information received by the vibrissae helps to avoid unnecessary injuries.

It is known that a cat's whiskers are very sensitive. For this reason, human touching them is not very pleasant for the animal.

The whiskers are capable of providing data that cannot be obtained using other senses. The difference between vibrissae and regular hair is that the vibrissae go much deeper into the tissue than regular hair. As mentioned earlier, “tactile hairs” have many nerve endings, thanks to which the animal receives a lot of information about the surrounding world.

Whiskers help you navigate in space

Scientists, interested in the question of why a cat needs a mustache, discovered that with the help of whiskers, the animal is perfectly oriented in the space around it, regardless of the time of day. Vibrissae appear and are located in the area of the cheeks, lips, above the eyes, and also on the paws. Thanks to them, the cat recognizes various objects without physically touching them. Whiskers make it possible to detect the presence of obstacles on the way in complete darkness, which greatly simplifies movement at night.

The vibrissae also tell the cat whether it can fit through a narrow opening. They also help you find your way in unknown areas. It is thanks to the whiskers that the animal will never get lost and will always find its way back. Each of us has heard stories more than once about how a cat ran away and returned several months later. Or about how she found her owners who changed their place of residence. The whiskers are a kind of “compass” for the animal.

Mustache - a hunter's weapon

So, when discussing the topic “why do cats need whiskers,” we cannot fail to mention that the whiskers are involved in the hunting process. With their help, you can easily recognize even slight movements of prey. The cat is a predatory animal and prefers the dark time of day for hunting. The whiskers allow you to obtain the necessary data about your future victim and, with the necessary accuracy, perform a lightning-fast striking jump that will not leave the prey the slightest chance of salvation.

Everyone knows that a cat can rid a house of rats, mice and other small rodents. When an animal, having caught prey, carries it in its teeth, the tips of the whiskers control the state of the victim (whether it is killed, or attempts of resistance on its part are still possible).

Mustache: structural features

The cat's whiskers are arranged in four rows of 12 on both sides. The movement of the two upper ones occurs independently of those located below. The base of the vibrissa is located on the surface layer and has a good blood supply due to the fact that the root of the blood tendril is located in a blood vesicle, also called a sinus or blood lacuna. The branches of the facial nerve are connected to the vibrissae, and the striated muscles ensure their movement. Thanks to the vibrissae, the cat will notice even the slightest vibrations in the air.

Is it possible to trim a cat's whiskers?

The information presented above characterizes the functional feature of the whiskers, thereby explaining why a cat needs whiskers and explaining their necessity. Considering that a cat needs its whiskers to maintain balance and good orientation in space, trimming them is strictly not recommended. Without them, a cat can experience serious discomfort and confusion.

There is an opinion that when dividing territory, a cat is capable of depriving its opponent of its whiskers. And she does this so that her rival feels weak and defenseless. An animal that doubts its own abilities will easily give up its position, admitting defeat.

When considering information on the topic “why do cats need mustaches,” it is important to mention that there are breeds with insufficiently developed “tactile hairs” or with their complete absence. Such animals require constant human care and, unfortunately, will not be able to survive in the wild.

However, many may have heard about veterinary whisker trimming. Indeed, such a practice exists and is used by veterinarians. It is used in situations where the area of vibrissae germination has been affected. Whisker trimming in veterinary medicine helps to carry out disinfection treatment and eliminate the possibility of bacterial infection.

There are cases where blind cats made excellent use of information obtained through whiskers. Therefore, it is impossible to trim a cat’s whiskers for the sake of the animal’s participation in an exhibition or because of a momentary childish whim. Although trimmed whiskers will not lead to the death of the animal, they will still leave a significant imprint on your cat’s sense of self and quality of life.

Mustache fragility. What to do?

Having received the answer to the question of why a cat needs a mustache, you can understand how important they are for a small predator. However, the animal's whiskers can break. If the hair follicle has not been damaged, the mustache can regenerate. Sometimes the damage is accidental. Systematic damage and loss of mustaches can be caused by the following factors:

Improper diet, due to which the cat’s body is deficient in calcium and other vitamins.
The appearance of worms that eat useful substances, which is why the animal also lacks calcium and other substances.
Fungal diseases.

A specialist from a veterinary clinic will help determine the true cause of injury and whisker loss. He will also prescribe the necessary course of treatment and offer a diet rich in vitamins and minerals.

Responsible for those who have been tamed

The decision to have a pet implies great responsibility for the life and health of the animal. Having decided to take such a serious step, it is necessary to provide the animal with comfortable living conditions and carefully monitor its health. Your pet will appreciate the attentive and affectionate attitude towards itself, giving in return its devotion and love. From communicating with your pet you will certainly get a lot of joyful emotions and a lot of good mood.

After reading the information about why cats need whiskers, explain to your child what an important role they play in the life of a pet.

Children often ask: why does a cat need a mustache? But even adults do not always know the correct answer to this question, and many have never thought about it at all. All animals have whiskers. Since they exist, that means it must be so. In some cats they are thin and stick out like a walrus, while in others they are thick, long and curl towards the bottom. What happens if you cut them off, and is it possible to do this?

The importance of whiskers in the life of cats

As you know, in nature nothing is useless. The cat also has a mustache for a reason, for beauty. They perform a very important function, namely, they help cats navigate in space, especially in the dark. These are like probe antennas.

The same role is played by the eyebrows of cats. Have you noticed how long they are? Both the whiskers and eyebrows of cats are called vibrasses in the scientific world (from the Latin word “vibra”, which means “to vibrate” in Russian), and they grow not only on the cheeks, but also on the brow ridges, chin, and back front paws

Vibrissae are a cat’s organ of touch, which is directly connected to the brain. They fluctuate under the pressure of the air flow or when touched by objects. In cats, they complement the function of the paws, eyes and ears.

They grow three times faster than fur, so that the cat can quickly restore orientation in space and analyze the environment. The loss of one or two antennae should not worry you. They change just like wool. But if the mustache constantly breaks and falls out, then this is no longer normal. Perhaps your pet has a fungal disease or lacks some vitamins and minerals.

The vibrissae go deep into the skin, three times deeper than the hairs. Each of them is surrounded by muscle fibers, with the help of which the cat can control (move) the whiskers, and a whole network of nerve fibers that transmit information from the whiskers to a specific part of the brain.

Now it is clear that cats need whiskers and all vibrissae for tactile sensations, i.e. hunting, orientation in space and communication. It is with its whiskers that the cat “hears” the stomping of the mouse and “sees” its movement in space.

And after the cat catches the prey, it “feels” it with its whiskers to make sure that the mouse is dead and can no longer resist, which means causing some kind of injury to the hunter himself. It turns out that vibrissae are also a device for determining the degree of safety.

A cat's whiskers can be used to determine its mood. If the mustache is forward, then this indicates her complacent mood, and if they are pressed to the muzzle, then it is better not to approach.

Do you see how complex and intelligent everything is?

Why you can't trim your cat's whiskers

If you trim a cat's whiskers and eyebrows, problems immediately begin that are noticeable in her behavior:

The cat cannot determine the temperature of the food or not;
The cat begins to bump into objects;
Jumps become either “undershoot” or “overshoot”;
The cat does not adequately calculate its dimensions and may get stuck somewhere.

Without whiskers, a cat becomes unsure of itself. When there are many cats in the house, they can bite off each other's whiskers in order to subjugate a competitor. And the cat itself bites off the whiskers of kittens that are too active, so that they are afraid to stray too far from their brothers. Without whiskers, a cat is in constant

In ancient times, it was believed that if a kitten had long whiskers, then it would be an excellent mouse hunter. This, of course, is a little wrong, although the mustache helps in catching rodents. And if the cat is domestic, does that mean she doesn’t need a mustache at all? But no!

Let's start with the scientific definition of a cat's whiskers - vibrissae, in Latin "vibra", i.e. vibration, and they really vibrate from the air, the object it touches. By the way, do you know how many of these antennae there are and how they work? I'll explain now.

If you look at a cat’s antennae, it seems like it’s just a thickened hair, like stubble on our men, but everything is much more complicated. Each antennae is an organ of touch that is directly connected to the brain; the subcutaneous part of the whisker is three times deeper than an ordinary hair. So if you pull a cat’s whiskers, or pull out anything else, it will be very painful for him.

Around each antennae there is a network of nerve endings, information from which enters a specific part of the brain. And that's not all, besides the nerves there are muscles that help the whisker stretch or press against the muzzle, and this set is different for everyone.

In terms of quantity, an adult pet has twenty-four “hairs,” and if you look closely, you will see small antennae on the cheeks, chin, eyebrows, and the back of the front paws. And each such antennae corresponds to a separate part of the brain. That's how serious it is.

Whiskers help a cat hunt

At the time of hunting, the cat uses not only the organs of hearing and vision, but also the whiskers. Touching the ground with its antennae, the cat feels the slightest vibration emanating from the mouse’s small paws. So she broke away and ran, the flow of air stirred up the sensitive “hairs” and the cat already knew in which direction the victim rushed. When the rodent is caught and clamped between the teeth, the antennae wrap around and determine whether the sufferer is alive or dead. If you can’t eat it alive, otherwise it will gnaw on your cheek. This method of determining food safety applies not only to mice, but also to food bowls.

Take a closer look when you give your “Vaska” some kind of treat, he stretches his antennae forward to determine if it will attack him.

Whiskers help a cat navigate

Sometimes it happens that the antennae break. The reason for this may be their active use in terrain orientation. In the dark, in addition to the fact that she sees well, by the way, read why a cat’s eyes glow in the dark, she uses her whiskers as an auxiliary tool, pressing them to the ground. Even in pitch darkness, without a single husk, with the help of their miraculous hairs, they can make their way, like a soldier with a night vision device.

Cat whiskers as a way of communication

If you look at a cat's whiskers while communicating with another cat, a person, a stranger, you can understand how she is in tune. The antennae are extended forward - she is not against meeting people, communicating; spread out in different directions - don’t come closer, I’m aggressive; pressed to the muzzle - I’m scared, I have no time for you right now.

It’s interesting and not completely clear why cats’ whiskers fall out? There is an opinion: when two cats live in a house, one pulls out the other’s whiskers, and we think that they fall out on their own. This is like a way of superiority over a fellow tribesman - without vibrations, the cat becomes insecure, timid, and easier to control.

Is it possible to shave a cat's whiskers?

Your cat has had an accident, she got into a fight with someone, she has a wound or an abscess on her face, then, of course, the veterinarian will have to shave off her whiskers to treat the sore spot. Will they be able to grow back after this? Naturally, even much faster than ordinary wool, which speaks of the great importance of having a mustache in the life of a cat.

But such a procedure is a serious torture for the animal, because it becomes disoriented in space and perceives changes in the environment much worse. Knowing all the consequences of whisker removal, let’s answer the question: “Is it possible to shave a cat’s whiskers?” Of course not, if there is no other way out (muzzle injury). And removing vibrissae for the sake of beauty is absolutely savage! It doesn’t matter that she lives in an apartment and doesn’t go outside, while a new mustache grows, she is in constant shock.

How can you tell if a cat's whiskers have fallen out or are broken?

Like the cat's fur, its mustache has its own lifespan. And when we find a fallen whisker at home, we think: “Maybe the cat is sick, why is her whisker falling out?” Usually one or two antennae that fall out are not a cause for concern: they have outlived their usefulness and fallen out, and others will appear in their place. Our hair and cat's coat also change, this is a normal phenomenon.

It is important to understand when a “hair” simply fell out and when it broke. A used vibros has a bulb at the end, while a broken one has a beveled base. There are many reasons why mustaches often break, for example, mechanical stress.

But if you notice that they are constantly breaking, splitting, often falling out, or bending to the sides, consult a veterinarian; there may be a lack of some vitamin or a fungal infection has developed. This applies to ordinary breeds, but there are also “original” ones, for example, curly-haired cats - Cornish Rex. Like the fur, the mustache is also unusual - it can be thin or, on the contrary, thick, stick out in different directions, cut.

What about the hairless breeds of the Don Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx? It all depends on the degree of “hairiness”; they can be short, like stubble, or thin, or maybe not at all.

Both an intuitive predator and a wonderful pet, which very often knows what its owners need. The whole point is that

Vibrissae are the sixth sense of cats. So, in fact, the sixth sense is intuition. The first five are vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Each of the five senses has its own organ system. And just for intuition, human organs have not yet been found. Whereas in a cat, it is quite likely that the whiskers are responsible for the sixth sense.

Of course, officially, vibrissae, vibrassae (singular: vibrissae; lat. vibrissae, from lat. vibro - oscillate, wriggle; in everyday life - whiskers) are tactile, mechanosensitive long, coarse hairs of many mammals, protruding above the surface of the coat. Usually the vibrissae are located in groups on the head (near the nose, near the eyes, on the upper and lower jaws, etc.), sometimes on other parts of the body (in many marsupials, for example, on the paws). Vibrissae in cats are located in bunches near the eyes. Very similar to typical hair, but thicker and several times longer. Vibrissae are specialized sensory organs. The base of each vibrissa is immersed in the hair follicle and surrounded by venous cavities. Hundreds of nerve endings approach the vibrissa hair bursa. On the head, the vibrissae are innervated by the trigeminal nerve. Each vibrissa has its own area in the brain.

But in fact, most likely, in cats, quantity has turned into quality, and the vibrissae are not only an organ of touch, but also a highly sensitive antenna that can detect something that is not yet accessible to humans. But let's not rush into assumptions and figure out what we can be sure of in relation to vibrissae.

What can vibrissae do?

So, contrary to popular belief, in complete darkness a cat does not see, but navigates with the help of hearing and touch. It is the perfectly developed sense of touch that makes the furry predator so confident at night, even in absolute silence. The sense of touch helps the cat in near orientation, during direct contacts (far orientation is provided by hearing, vision or smell). Thanks to its superbly developed sense of touch, your pet can easily choose the most comfortable place to sleep and easily navigate the area at any time of the day.

Vibrissae are not even hair as such, but modified in the process of evolution receptors. The longest and most sensitive of them are located above the upper lip (on both sides in four rows). Much shorter than the mustache, it is located on the chin, in the cheek area and above the eyes. There are vibrissae on the tail and ankles- they help the cat hunt for moving prey. And between the pads on the paws.

Unlike ordinary hairs, which perform a heat-insulating function, vibrissae perform a sensory function. They perceive the smallest changes in the environment, including changes in atmospheric pressure.

Air currents, are reflected from objects standing nearby and are captured by vibrissae. This property allows the cat, regardless of vision, to determine the location of objects and avoid obstacles without touching them, even in complete darkness!

To " познакомиться"With a new object, the cat approaches it with its whiskers pointing forward. By spreading its whiskers widely, it determines the size of the hole through which it is going to crawl - perhaps the ends of the spread whiskers correspond to the width of the cat's body and allow it to determine whether the whole body will pass after the head.

By wiggling its whiskers, your pet determines wind speed and direction in order to adjust the body position and the force of the jump in the jump in accordance with the information received.

When a cat hunts, its whiskers are extended, because with their help it captures any rustle. And, holding caught prey in her teeth and not being able to see it, she uses her mustache to controls behavior the victim, who is out of sight at this time.

Vibrissae not only give your pet this or that information about the world around her, but are also an indicator of her mood. If a cat's whiskers point forward, it often signifies curiosity or friendliness. An aggressive cat presses its whiskers to its muzzle. You can read more about the language of cats in the series of articles “The language of cats and cats: a cat phrasebook.”

As already mentioned, a cat’s tactile receptors are located not only on its face. Vibrissae are scattered throughout the body. If you look at a cat's skin, you will see individual hairs sticking out from the smooth surface of the fur. These hairs are softer and not as sensitive as whiskers, but they also help the cat determine where on the body and how it is being touched.

How do vibrissae feel?

The base of the vibrissae is located in the superficial layer of the skin. The vibrissae are well supplied with blood - the root of the sensitive antennae is located in a blood vesicle called the sinus or blood lacuna. Branches of the facial nerve approach the vibrissae.

The slightest fluctuations in the environment will not go unnoticed by the cat - even the lightest touch on the vibrissa is transmitted to the root, where the nerve endings surrounding it instantly send information to the brain. A cat's whiskers even participate in the formation of sensory areas of the brain, in which each whisker has its own representation as a SEPARATE sensory organ.

The vibrissae gained the ability to move due to the contraction of striated muscles. Remember how funny a cat can move its “eyebrows” or whiskers on its face. The rest of the fur is crushed by smooth muscle cells. Worn out vibrissae are replaced one at a time as needed, regardless of general molting.

Vibrissae were developed in the ancestors of mammals, and it can be assumed that they are a more ancient formation than hair. The fact that whiskers are very important for a cat is confirmed by the following fact: the first hairs that develop in future kittens in the womb are the whiskers.

If a cat's whiskers are trimmed, it will not be able to navigate not only in the dark, but even in the light - such experiments can lead to the death of the cat. So shame on those owners who, in order to “improve” the appearance of their pet, trim or pull out bent whiskers.

Cats' skin is also very sensitive. They are able to feel the structure of the surface on which they walk with their paw pads. Cats love warm and soft material, and often refuse to sit with someone who is dressed in cold clothes or clothes made of rough woven fabric. Sensitively reacting to external stimuli, cats shake their paws when they step on water or dirt. But now you know that this is not a whim - it is a need to keep the whiskers on the paws clean and ready.

So, based on the totality of signs, we can confidently say that the vibrissae are not just organs of touch, they are a qualitatively new system responsible for the sixth sense in cats.

Based on materials from http://www.liveinternet.ru/community/4337352/post176026229/