Posts Tagged: Cat Whiskers

The term “whisker fatigue” isn’t generally thrown around in daily conversation. Although it may sound like something that a man may get when tired of having to trim his beard, whisker fatigue is actually a condition among cats that can cause significant stress.

The Incredible Whisker

It’s hard to imagine a cat without a set of luxurious, adorable whiskers. However, these long, thick hairs are not there just to make your cat look cool. The primary function of whiskers is to serve as touch receptors that tell a cat a great deal about the world around them.

Whiskers, also called tactile hairs or vibrissae, transmit information about a cat’s environment via tiny sensory organs known as proprioceptors. These organs are located at the base of each whisker and help cats orient themselves, navigate their environment in the dark, hunt for prey (by sensing air currents), and determine whether or not they can fit into a tight space.