What’s Up with Whiskers?

If you have a pet cat, you’ve likely been tickled by its whiskers. Most mammals have these long, thick hairs on their face. But what is their purpose? Though animals use their eyes, nose, and ears to experience the world (just like you), God made whiskers to be an animal’s antennae, helping the animal sense its surroundings even better.

Since each whisker’s hair follicle (the spot the whisker connects to the animal’s body) is covered in nerve endings, the stiff whisker hairs act as touch sensors, sending information to the animal’s brain about its surroundings. Whiskers can help an animal determine if they’ll be able to fit in a small space, sense where objects are in the dark, and tell them to move out of the way if they get too close to something that could hurt them.

Whiskers are just one example of the creative ways God has equipped his creatures to survive and thrive in our fallen world.

Whisker Facts:

• Whiskers are made of the same protein that makes up your hair—keratin.
• Most cats have 24 whiskers, 12 on each side of their face.
• Cats sometimes express their emotions with their whiskers. Droopy whiskers mean a cat is relaxed. Forward-facing whiskers mean a cat is hunting or feeling curious.
• Like human hair, whiskers can turn gray as an animal ages.