The Cats Whiskers is a slang term for something good, but it actually derives from kitty cats themselves.
Cat’s whiskers are more than just lovely long decorations that help define how cats look. Part of almost every drawing of a cat, cartoon or logo or silhouette, the whiskers are depicted as essential in cat-erisation.
That’s because all cats have whiskers unless they have met with misfortune that has deprived them of these lovely long feelers, which provide sensory input to assist all cats in their day to day living.
A cat’s whiskers are like an antenna for cats. They help a cat to gauge size, as to if they will fit through a narrow space or get stuck. Whiskers are important to pick up vibrations and proximity of motion that disturbs the air. For a predatory cat, it may be the movement of a rodent body or wind direction that is carrying the scent of prey, that these sensitive extra sense implements help a cat tune into, helping the hunt.
Of interest between cats is the length of the face, as it affects the angle of the whiskers. Flat-faced cats such as Persians can suffer from whisker fatigue, when eating from a deeper bowl, as their sensitive whiskers are constantly impacting the bowl edges, making eating irritating.
Special bowls have been designed with shallow slanted depth to ensure the lovely whiskers are clear of the impediments, and a meal can be enjoyed without stress.
The longer nosed cats, such as Siamese, are less likely to get stressed with a deeper bowl, as their whiskers are angled back appropriately.
But tickle the cheeks, and watch the whiskers fan and splay out, demonstrating how well a cat can control this extra sensory tool.
Some owners collect the long lengths if they fall. Certainly, do not pluck or clip a cat’s whiskers, as it not needed and detrimental to cats well being to be deprived of these wonderful extra appendages.
As well, whiskers can define a cat’s looks, with a striking tuxedo, dressed in a black suit apart from the white tie, socks and whiskers, a fine example of how much more certified a cat is when suitably en-whiskered!