Book 11, Question 36
Why Do Cats Have Whiskers?
Cats have whiskers because whiskers are super-sensitive feelers! They are long, stiff hairs rooted deep in the skin with many nerves. Even a tiny bend tells the cat something.
More fun facts
- Each cat whisker grows from a follicle packed with nerves and blood vessels.
- That makes whiskers about as sensitive as human fingertips.
- Cats really depend on their whiskers to sense the world.
- Content or happy cats almost always point their whiskers forward.
- Cat pupils can grow up to 300 times bigger in the dark, while human pupils grow only about 15 times.
- Cats have fewer color sensing cells than people, so they likely see fewer colors.
Sources: National Geographic, National Geographic
Questions kids ask
What makes whiskers so sensitive?
Each one grows from a spot packed with nerves and blood vessels.