We are used to cats with long beards, but have you ever understood what their beards do? If you think that a cat's whiskers, like people, are just a decoration, you're wrong.
1. Sensor
A cat's whiskers are like their radar. The cat's beard has a strong sense of touch, so it can sense the changes in the surrounding airflow and the humidity of the air, which can be regarded as an out-and-out radar. Cats not only rely on their eyes to perceive changes in the surrounding environment, but their beards are also a very important part. The cat's beard can even feel a small flying insect flying around him.
2. Measuring instrument
In fact, a cat's whiskers are equivalent to a ruler, and the length of its whiskers is similar to the width of its body. When cats try to get through a tight spot, they use their whiskers to measure the size of the entrance to see if they can get in. So the cat can always run around in every corner of the house without getting stuck.
3. Emotional Communicator
When the cat is in a calm or happy mood, the cat's whiskers are in a flat state. At this time, when you interact with the cat, the cat will not reject it. When the cat's whiskers are close to the face, it means that the cat is in a state of tension or anger. At this time, the owner needs to stop interacting with the cat to prevent being attacked by the cat. Therefore, for owners of cats at home, be sure to pay attention to protecting the whiskers that are so important to cats.
4. Used to locate prey
Cats' eyes are farsighted, which means they can't see close objects clearly. So when cats catch prey, whether it's a mouse or a toy, they use their whiskers to locate it. In addition, the whiskers that grow in other parts of the cat, such as on the chin and behind the front legs, are used to locate prey.
5. Protect your cat's eyes
Cats also have whiskers above their eyes, and these whiskers serve to protect the cat's eyes. For example, when the cat is close to an object and something is about to touch the eye, these whiskers can cause the cat to blink and protect the eyes.
6. Balance the body
Since being domesticated, cats rarely exercise much, but they are still stable and fast when they move. The existence of cat whiskers can help the cat to control the balance of the body well. Once the cat loses the whiskers, the ability to control the sense of direction will be reduced, and the slightly higher and steeper places will cause the cat to be injured.
A cat's whiskers are very sensitive, because they grow in the skin deeper than the fur, and they can even feel the direction of their hair being changed by a gentle breeze. Therefore, the owner usually try not to play with the cat's whiskers, which may cause the cat to feel pain. Also, don't cut off your cat's whiskers, as this can confuse or disorient your cat because it suddenly loses the tools to feel its way.