Why cat has whiskers?

Many believe that mustache function as the probe, through which the cat learns that there is enough broad passage, in which it intends to enter - but in reality everything is much more complicated and surprising.

Besides the obvious function of touch-sensitive «probes», cat's whiskers do more, and the role of detectors of the direction of flow of air. When the cat moves in the darkness, she must maneuver in such a way that does not relate to potential objects in its path. Every solid object, which is suitable animal, slightly changes the direction of air flow and cause a barely perceptible air turbulence, and the cat's whiskers are so highly sensitive that allow «read» this information and, thus, to detect objects, not even touching it .

Mustaches especially need the cat, or rather even vital, when it hunts in the dark. This can be judged on the following observations: cat, whiskers which are in perfect condition, can be equally successful hunt in the dark and under illumination. A cat with damaged whiskers can be hunted only in the lighted space, in the darkness she could make a mistake and did not exactly cause a «fatal» bite at the right point on the body of the victim. This means that in the dark when the cat can not absolutely accurately navigate using vision, antennae function as a high-precision «Focusing System». This cat has a remarkable ability to reconcile within a fraction of a second position of the unfortunate victims and to cause the exact bite in the neck.

The tips of his mustache «read» detailed information about the form of the victim's body - something like a blind man reads Braille - and immediately process it, the cat is making unmistakable action.

The pictures of cats carrying the teeth in just extracted the mouse shows that the whiskers predator almost entwine rodent's body, continuing to «read» and transmit information about the slightest movement can occur if the victim is even alive. Since the cat is primarily nocturnal hunters, the mustache is vital to her survival.

Anatomically cat's mustache is a considerably enlarged and strengthened hair, but thicker than normal hairs more than twice. Whiskers grow from the upper lip cats, as regular hair, but, unlike them, leaving the tissue is three times deeper and have an extensive network of nerves to transmit information about the slightest vibrations of air. Antennae located on the face of a cat with four horizontal rows of twelve pieces from both sides of the nose - thus, they are usually only twenty-four. They may be sent forward, when a cat anything of interest, or back when she tries to protect itself or simply avoid contact with the object. The top row of whiskers can move independently from the bottom two formed thicker hairs.

Technically the antennae could be categorized as vibriss located in some other places on the body of a cat - on the cheeks, chin, above the eyes, as it may seem strange at the rear of the front paws. All of them are highly sensitive motion detectors, but the most important for cats, and, therefore, particularly those long whiskers, which are the hallmark of an animal - of course, mustaches. And we fully understand what is meant when referred to the concept of «cat's whiskers».

Good luck to you, my dear readers!

Source: http://catwatching.ru
http://animaldin.blogspot.com/