Mary Allen
Without their special sense of touch, cats could not move so elegantly. With the help of their whiskers, a velvet paw can perceive its surroundings very precisely. A cat not only has whiskers on its head but also in many other places.
A cat has whiskers, also called vibrissae, on its face on its cheeks, chin, and above its eyes. In addition, it has small vibrissae on the balls of its feet, elbows, and the backs of its legs, which inform of obstacles in the area as well as the slightest movement of air.
Sensitive Whiskers: Vibrissae Serve as Sensors
The special thing about the vibrissae: their hair roots are three times deeper in the skin than the roots of normal hair. The vibrissae are connected to many nerves that transmit coarse and fine signals to the kitty’s brain. For example, a velvet paw can easily move in the dark.
The whiskers, of which a cat has an average of twelve on each side, are particularly sensitive. These movable whiskers are already developed in newborns and are used, for example, for communication. For example, cats with forward-facing whiskers show sociability and curiosity, such as when greeting.
Cat’s Sense of Touch Works at a Distance
In addition to receiving and transmitting information through direct contact, the cat’s whiskers can also work at a distance. With the vibrissae, cats can, for example, perceive the finest movements of air around an obstacle or the movements of prey from a distance. Cats can also feel the smallest vibrations through the sensitive soles of their feet and in this way even “see” the movements of a mouse underground.
Also part of the sense of touch: is the remarkable temperature sensors that a cat has. Kittens, for example, do not find their mother’s teats by smell, but by the heat emitted by the teats.