Amazing Cat Whiskers
Cats' whiskers are a wonder to me. At the thick end they are strong and sharp enough to pierce my skin. At the fine thin end I cannot feel it even when watching it move across my palm or fingertips.
Excerpt from article pets.webmd.com/features/why-cats-whiskers
"Each thick whisker is filled with tiny, supersensitive nerves that help your cat judge distance and space. It’s how she makes decisions like: Is this box too small to get inside? How far do I need to jump to reach that counter? It’s also how she detects what’s around her. Cats that are blind can navigate rooms very well by just walking around and letting their whiskers get a sense of where they are spatially. The follicles -- the sacs that hold the hairs -- are deep, with lots of nerve endings that send messages to the cat’s brain. There’s also a sensory organ at the tip of each whisker. It picks up vibrations in the environment that help the cat sense where she is and what other creatures are around her...."
Amazing Cat Whiskers
Cats' whiskers are a wonder to me. At the thick end they are strong and sharp enough to pierce my skin. At the fine thin end I cannot feel it even when watching it move across my palm or fingertips.
Excerpt from article pets.webmd.com/features/why-cats-whiskers
"Each thick whisker is filled with tiny, supersensitive nerves that help your cat judge distance and space. It’s how she makes decisions like: Is this box too small to get inside? How far do I need to jump to reach that counter? It’s also how she detects what’s around her. Cats that are blind can navigate rooms very well by just walking around and letting their whiskers get a sense of where they are spatially. The follicles -- the sacs that hold the hairs -- are deep, with lots of nerve endings that send messages to the cat’s brain. There’s also a sensory organ at the tip of each whisker. It picks up vibrations in the environment that help the cat sense where she is and what other creatures are around her...."