What Happens When You Cut Off A Cat's Whiskers?
WHAT ARE CAT WHISKERS?
Whiskers are the longer highly sensitive, stiff hairs that grow on a cat's muzzle (each side of its nose and ) located in the ears, forelegs, and jaws. Another name of Whiskers is Vibrissae.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CUT A CAT'S WHISKERS?
Sometimes Cat Whiskers may look unattractive, so long or irritating to us or the Cat, so we may feel like cutting them is the best thing to do. Well that's not true, Whiskers are very important to cats. Without Whiskers, Cats become very disoriented, fearful and distressed.
FUNCTIONS OF WHISKERS IN CATS
At the root of each Whisker is a follicle loaded with nerves. Just like human beings have a sense of touch to feel, Cats also need their Whiskers which are actually sensory receptors which send signals to the Cat's brain and nervous system . The following are some of the functions of Whiskers;
A Form Of Night Vision
When its dark, human beings can use their touch to feel the objects or environment around, in the same way, Cats use their Whiskers to feel their way around when they can't see in dark environments.
Cats are able to move effortlessly in both day and night by brushing their whiskers against an object because they can detect the precise size and location of an object in their environment.
Protection From Danger
Ever wondered why Cats can easily run away to safety, even in environments that look like there's no way to hide or go. This is because Whiskers alert Cats to potentially harmful situations. A Cat’s whiskers are very sensitive to even the smallest change in the Cat’s environment.
A Cat’s whiskers also help it to sense whether it can fit into a small and tight space, climb a certain object such as tree, or jump a certain height, even without seeing in the dark.
Hunting Or Chasing Prey
Since Cat Whiskers have nerves, these sensory receptors help Cats sense the distance of their prey when hunting by feeling the vibrations in the air. A Cats Whiskers gives it the ability to sense potential dangers that are approaching or prey nearby by detecting changes of the vibrations in the air.
The Cat's State Of Mind
Whether you know it or not, Cats also have moods, they can feel happy, sad, fearful, excited, etc.
When a Cat's Whiskers are pointed away from its face, that is a sign that the Cat is content. When a Cat's Whiskers are pointing forward, this is a sign that the Cat is in a hunting mode.
When a cat's Whiskers are pulled back across the face, that is a sign that the Cat feels threatened.
CONCLUSION
A Cat's Whiskers can grow back naturally, but they should NEVER be cut or even trimmed (Even if its just a little bit of trimming).
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