Ask Tappity: Science Questions for Kids > Why Do Dogs and Cats Have Whiskers?
Why Do Dogs and Cats Have Whiskers?
If you have a pet dog, cat, or even hamster, maybe you’ve wondered what those long whiskers are for. Watch this video to find out, or read our explanation below!
First, What Are Whiskers?
Whiskers are a type of stiff hair, and the scientific term for them is vibrissae. Most mammals have them—even whales! We humans are one of the few mammals who don't
Whiskers Are Good At Feeling
Whiskers are long, super-sensitive hairs that animals use to detect what’s around them. For example, a cat can use its whiskers to know when things are moving nearby by detecting tiny changes in the air around it. A seal’s whiskers help it tell when fish are swimming nearby in murky water where it can’t see. If you watch a cat catch something in slow motion, you can see it swish its whiskers to its food once it's close to its face, to help it keep track of it when it's too close to see.
So, Cats Use Whiskers To Tell If They Can Fit
A cat’s whiskers are roughly the width of their body, so they use them to judge whether or not they’ll be able to fit through a tight space.
Cats & Dog Facts for Kids
Got whisker questions? We’ve got whisker answers!
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Cats purr in a lot of different situations - when they’re happy, when they’re hungry, or when they’ve just given birth (the last one is the easiest to spot). So communication seems to be a main use, but scientists think they might also purr for another reason: to heal their bones! Cats are known for quickly healing broken bones (part of what allows them to survive falls), and scientists have determined that vibrations in the range of purrs help bones heal. So next time your cat purrs in your lap, don’t get too flattered - they might just be beefing up their bones.
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Dogs can see some color, but not as much as humans. Scientists believe their sight is similar to that of humans with red-green colorblindness. So dogs see everything in shades of blue and yellow.
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Cats sleep for 12-16 hours a day!
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Cats don’t develop melanin, the pigment responsible for eye color, until they’re about 6 weeks old. So all kittens are born with blue eyes!
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The oldest dog ever reliably recorded was an Australian cattle-dog named Bluey who lived to be 29 years and 5 months.
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The oldest cat ever recorded was a cat named Creme Puff who lived to be 38 years and 3 days old.
More Answers to Animal Questions from Kids
How do octopuses change colors so fast? What’s the world’s smallest animal? The Tappity Zoology library has interactive lessons with answers to those questions and more!
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