Mo-whisker?
By ROCHELLE HAWTHORNIt's November and again that time of the year to celebrate marvellous masculine mos. It is sometimes not so easy making a link between such subjects as testicular cancer and our pets, but I think I've done it. On studying my cat's face one recent evening I realised that her whiskers could rival the stylings of some of the most elaborate mos out there.
I must say that I have favourite things about my cats. Paw pads are one thing – I love calling pink pads marshmallows and black pads licorice, and I have a thing about photographing feline feet (let's not go there). But whiskers almost seem to be a cat's way of demonstrating their personality and position in the world. The longer the whisker, the more the cat demands to be obeyed or admired. In my house, Tiger reigns supreme while Nauty is the court jester.
Ever since I can remember growing up with cats, they would always leave their whiskers lying around the place. On the couch, on the carpet, in my bed and occasionally the little sneaks would somehow end up poking out of a soft toy.
And strange as this may sound, I used to collect them and poke my brother with the sharp ends while we were watching TV or just being bored together.
A cat's whiskers – technically known as vibrissae – are unique, thick, long growths of the same material that make up hair or fur. Without their vibrissae, cats wouldn't be able to negotiate getting in and out of their cat flaps, they would find it more difficult to navigate the centre and edges of appropriate watering holes, they wouldn't be able to feel the moth, bird or mouse wriggling out from under their feet as easily, and having the wind whip past their faces wouldn't feel the same as it would if they had a full complement of extraordinary facial feelers.
On occasion, I see an individual from Tiger's plumage of whiskers ready to drop, as it usually twists upwards and on an awkward angle. Tiger has whiskers to rival a hardened bikie with a set of facial handlebars. When one does drop (read: when I pluck one out), I sometimes run it over my fiance's bare skin - and he realises in horror that this thing tickling him has recently been dislodged from the face of a cat.
Some cats come with massive whiskers. Longhaired cats tend to have super-long and luxurious ones, whereas shorthaired breeds tend to possess sparser, sportier and dare I say more streamlined whiskers. My Siamese's whiskers tend to be rather pathetic compared to Tiger's, whose even pale in comparison to some Birmans and Maine Coon cats' mos that I've seen.
Do you collect whiskers? Do you tease someone in your life with them (or am I the only one)? What are your favourite feline features?
Veterinary nurse Rochelle Hawthorn is a co-director of The Pet Hub, a website created as a first stop for New Zealand pet owners looking for animal articles and product reviews, and to share ideas and experiences. It's also on Facebook.
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Does a cats whiskers have anything to do with their body width? I ask as my 9 month old kitten/cat (depends on his mood) is a healthy lad yet his whiskers are streamlined, where as my partners sisters scrawny thin cat has a set of whiskers on him to rival a 1900's gentlemen.
Rambo has this one whisker in his collection that's never ceases to get my attention, its slightly longer than the rest, and its straight until the last centimetre or so where it gets all zig-zaggy like lightning.
Can't say I collect whiskers...but i do lurve paw pads, and especially on fluffy cats like rambo, the way their fur sticks out between their toes and paw pads. I love giving Sanchez tickles on his paws, cos he stretches out all his toes for better tickle access-I've never before had a cat that liked his paws being touched like that
You sound just like me! I collect my cat's whiskers and I also like taking pics of his front left paw - he has one pink toe.
I also collect whiskers! When my darling puss cat Jack passed away unexpectedly earlier this year I was very pleased to find a lasting reminder of him in one of his whiskers discarded on the bedroom floor. Hhhmmm does that sound a little creepy? Hope not..
@Westbound #2 - While I am not 100% on this, I have read somewhere that a cats whiskers do relate to its width. They use their whiskers to determine whether a gap is wide enough for them to fit the rest of their body through supposedly.
I have to make do with my rabbits whiskers which are totally cute. I don't collect them (are you guys weird??lol) but I do nuzzle her back when she nuzzles me.
And another question - do cat's whiskers reflect emotions or traumas in their lives? (Ok, I can see I need to explain). The day after our dog died, our cat, who was bought up by and pretty close to the dog, had her first completely white whisker. We called it the Memorial Whisker for years afterwards ... until about 4 or 5 years later the others started turning. Coincidence? Maybe, but it took an awful long time for the rest to start catching up. Now they're all white...
I find cat's teeth fascinating. Our Siamese even when his jaw is closed has saber-tooth fangs that come down over his bottom lip. It's about as close to being a predator as he can manage though. The only time he ever caught a bird was when it fell out of a tree and landed on his head.
I'm relieved to read that I'm not the only one who collects their cats whiskers! When I send cards to certain friends it gets signed from all of us and I included a couple of whiskers as well to represent the cats signature. I think I mainly collect them because I know they won't be with me forever, so it's my lasting connection to them. I'm just another crazy cat person!
@Westbound & JeM - I've heard that about whisker and width also. Notice cats whiskers move in accordance with their mood, pointing forward, happy mood; whiskers against the face, pretty damned moody.
I'd call you all odd, if I didn't keep the tail trims from my horse ... and yes, horses have whiskers too, around their lips and chins and a couple of little ones over their eyebrows. Quite stiff bristles on very soft velvety skin, but not as long as cat's whiskers. Cats win paws down on whisker to size ratio.
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I love whiskers. I like watching the way cats fan them out when they're happy. My favourite whiskers belong to dad's Norwegian Forest Cats. Some of their whiskers are 6 inches long.