Why Are My Cats Whiskers So Long? 9 Vet-Reviewed Reasons
By Adam Mann
Updated on
A big part of a cat’s physique is their whiskers, and while it might seem like they’re all the same, the truth is that some cats have significantly longer or shorter whiskers than others. But what determines how long their whiskers get? And what do they use them for?
The 9 Likely Reasons Why Cats Whiskers Are So Long
1. Genetics
Genetics control everything about your cat’s appearance, and the size of their whiskers is certainly no exception. You can often tell how long your cat’s whiskers will be by looking at the whiskers of their parents, but since some traits can skip a generation or two, you can’t always tell by sure by looking at the parents.
Another important factor that affects genetics is their breed, but once again, sometimes a cat that comes from a breed that usually has long whiskers might have short ones and vice versa.
2. Your Cat’s Size & Coat Length
Larger cats and long-haired cats tend to have longer whiskers, while smaller or short-haired cats have shorter whiskers. Of course, this trend doesn’t always hold true. Still, bigger cats generally have bigger legs, bigger heads, and bigger whiskers!
3. Helps With Their Sight
Cats have phenomenal vision, so it might come as a surprise to learn that their whiskers actually enhance their vision. That’s because while cats can quickly pick things out far away, when things get a bit closer, it can be hard for them to see. Whiskers help them with this by touching them against whatever is straight ahead. This tells them where an object is, its size, and even its texture.
4. Helps Detect Movement
If your cat is trying to figure out if something is moving around them, their whiskers are extremely valuable tools. Not only can they feel things moving when they’re close to the cat, but they can pick up air movements that help them detect movements far away. We might not understand it, but it really is a sixth sense for your cat.
5. Measures Space
Did you know that cat whiskers act as built-in measuring tapes? They can use their whiskers to quickly size up an opening to see if they’ll fit into it, which can be quite a lifesaver, so they don’t have to worry about getting halfway through and winding up stuck.
6. Show Emotion
Most pet owners are pretty good at picking up on how their cat is feeling, even if they don’t notice all the small things they do to convey those emotions. But one thing that helps you understand how they’re feeling is the position of their whiskers, which they can move to help them convey different emotions.
7. Protects Their Eyes
Just like eyelashes help you keep harmful things out of your eyes, whiskers act as built-in protectors for your cat’s eyes. Whiskers keep grass and other debris away, allowing your cats to use their eyes to the best of their ability and to keep them from getting hurt.
8. Hunting Aides
Knowing where things are and being able to pick up on movements without seeing them is a huge advantage to have while hunting, and it’s one your cat takes full advantage of. It can help them track down their prey when it’s far away, and it can help them find their prey when it’s trying to hide in tall grass or dark spaces.
9. Helps Avoid Predators
While cats are natural predators, they’re not at the top of the food chain. There are plenty of wild animals that want to make a quick meal of them, and their whiskers can help them avoid these dangerous predators. That’s because the whiskers are extremely sensitive and can pick up changes in air currents, alerting them to predators even if they can’t see or hear them.
Conclusion
While the size of the whiskers doesn’t determine how well they work, it’s still interesting to learn a bit about what determines their length and what they can use them for. It’s important to note that there really isn’t much of a benefit for cats with longer whiskers; it’s the fact that they have them in the first place that makes all the difference!
Featured Image Credit: Nennieinszweidrei, Pixabay
