Cats do many incredible things, we all know that. They can see in even the dimmest of light. They can hear things that we couldn’t even hear if we tried. And they even have the ability to jump six times their own body length! The list could go on and on, really. We know that cats use their whiskers not only to balance, but to also navigate their way through tight spaces. But there’s so much more to what these twitchy little cat adornments can do. In fact, they have little muscles that control them at the base which can point them forward to detect their prey!
BBC Earth took a look at how cats use their whiskers in slow motion, and the results were purrfect! We know that although the cats we have in our homes today are domesticated and pampered, cats instincts are not too far removed from their feline ancestors who were once forced to rely on instincts for their next meal. But like their ancestors, cats today still know exactly how to get what they want when it’s right in front of them and their sight fails them–they simply use their whiskers!
Watch and see for yourself just how your cat uses their whiskers in the most incredible ways!
Pretty interesting, don’t you think? I know the next time I watch my cat stalk his prey, I’ll have a whole new level of respect for him–even if he isn’t able to catch it! It’s impressive that their whiskers are able to guide them when their eyes fail them, and just one more reason to be enamored by all things feline.
I also found it interesting that cats do not possess the ability to focus on anything more than 30cm (roughly 12″) in front of them. Learn something new everyday, I suppose!
Photo Property of Cole and Marmalade
Whisker Cat Fact: On average, your cat has 24 whiskers on their face.
Have you ever noticed before that your cat’s whiskers moving when they sense their prey? Leave a comment for us and share.
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hey there. i spotted an error above. cats can’t focus _closer_ than 30cm. video says it @1:11