How Do Cats Use Their Whiskers?

A common mistake that many humans make is assuming that cat whiskers are the same as human hair. The whiskers are in fact nothing at all like human hair, they are actually touch receptors. These longer, stiffer hairs, which are also known as vibrissae, are embedded more deeply in the cat’s body than the shorter top-fur coat. This is because they are connected to the nervous systems and that allows them to send information about their surroundings directly to their sensory nerves, which in turn helps them detect and respond accordingly.

Using slow motion, this insightful video shows how the whiskers play their part in helping the cat move into an attack position when hunting their prey. Taken from the fabulous BBC documentary Cats Uncovered.

Click to see a great video on why cats miaow!