Cats and whiskers: FAQ

From helping your cat navigate small spaces to judging distances, whiskers are vital to your cat’s way of life.

What are whiskers?

Whiskers are thick, long hairs, embedded deep in your cat's skin. The hair follicle is attached to nerve endings and muscles, which allows cats to move them. The tips of the hairs act as sensors, helping your cat to understand the world around them.

Cats usually have around 24 whiskers on their face. The most prominent, obvious place you’ll see whiskers is by their mouth. But shorter whiskers can also be found above their eyes, jawline and on the back of their front legs.

Why do cats have whiskers?

Cats cannot focus on anything closer than around 30cm in front of them. So they rely on their whiskers to navigate the world directly in front of them.

Whiskers around the mouth are the same width as a cat’s body, so they serve perfectly as a sensory function. This function allows cats to judge the distance between things and how far away objects are from their face and body, with the ability to detect the slightest vibration in the air.

Can I cut my cat’s whiskers?

A lot of people make the mistake of cutting their cat's whiskers as part of their pet's grooming routine. But this is not a good idea. Without their whiskers, cats essentially lose their ability to accurately ‘feel’ in front of them. This can leave them worried and disorientated.

A cat's whiskers will eventually grow back. But it can be stressful for them in the meantime, while they experience loss of spatial awareness. To put it into context, it would be a bit like us losing the feeling in our fingertips and not being able to feel our way through the dark.

Do my cats whiskers reflect their mood?

Whiskers can help you to understand your cat’s mood:

• Whiskers slightly drooping out to the side in a neutral position: your cat is likely to be feeling calm and relaxed
• Whiskers pointing forward: your cat might be curious, alert, tense or excited. This may also be a sign that your cat is in pain if they 'hold' their whiskers in this position for long periods of time.
• Whiskers pushed back against the face: your cat may be worried, anxious or frightened

Cats have very subtle body language, so their whiskers can help you understand how they're feeling. But it's important to look at the rest of their body and how they're behaving generally too.