Our feline friends have such unique little faces. Not only do they have their own interesting facial features such as whiskers, but their eyes, nose, and tongue are remarkable in their own special ways. These different features allow cats to navigate in the dark, taste different smells, and even fit into small spaces. So how exactly do these different facial features work?
Eyes
Many people believe that cats are colourblind. This is a big misconception, and in fact, cats can see most colours except for oranges and reds. The colours that they can see are less intense than the colours that humans can see, but they can definitely see colour.
Other than being mildly colourblind, felines have powerful eyesight. Their eyes are so precise that they can target a place to jump and land exactly on that target. They can also see extremely well at night because a mirror-like membrane in their eyes reflects any light in the area. This reflected light helps felines to see extremely well at night and in dark areas.
Nose
Cats have extremely powerful noses thanks to a special organ located behind their teeth called The Jacobson's Organ. In addition to their already powerful sense of smell, this organ helps cats to have a sense of smell that is 14 times stronger than a human's sense of smell.
The Jacobson's Organ not only increases a feline's sense of smell, but it also helps cats to analyze a scent. Cats tend to make a funny face when they use this organ, so don't be offended if your kitty makes a grimacing face after smelling something.
Whiskers
Whiskers on a cat's face are long, flexible hairs that are located on their eyebrows and whisker pads. The whisker pads usually have 4 rows of whiskers on each side, with about 24 whiskers in total located on a feline's face. Whiskers are an extremely useful tool for our feline friends, as they help them with navigation and width judgement.
Navigation - Whiskers are sensitive to moving air, which helps cats to recognize if there is something in their way. For example, if a cat is in a dark basement an obstruction to the cat's path will change the movement of air around it. The whiskers will sense this change in air current, and the cat will recognize if there is something in its way.
Width Judgement - Whiskers have deep roots that lie close to nerve endings on a cat's face. If something touches its whiskers, a cat will feel pressure on its whiskers. In addition, a cat's whiskers are about the same width as its body. For this reason, cats will use their whiskers to gauge the distance between an opening to see if it can fit through the tight space.
Tongue
The infamous "sandpaper tongue" may be rough to touch, but it actually acts as an extremely useful tool for cats. Our feline friends have tongues that are covered in tiny hooks that are made out of keratin. When eating or drinking, the hooks help to scoop up food and water. While when grooming, these hooks act like a comb to help thoroughly clean a feline's fur.
Unfortunately, when grooming, these hooks can scoop up a lot of hair, which can be accidentally swallowed. This is the main cause of hairballs, so if your feline friend has a lot of hair help him out by brushing his fur once a week.
From their eyes to their tongue, the feline face is full of fantastic tools that help our feline friends navigate through life. Pay attention to your kitty when he is utilizing one of these amazing facial features. You might be surprised to see how brilliant your feline friend really is.
Niki Rebin, along with her parents Norm and Delva have helped over 3,000 stray and feral cats through their non-profit cat sanctuary Paws On Your Heart. Having worked with cats for over 70 years, the Rebin family is often asked: "Why do cats do such strange things?" To find out what makes cats such unique animals, download our FREE e-book "95 Fun and Fabulous Feline Facts" here:http://www.pawsonyourheart.org/squeeze_pages/7165-95-fun-and-fabulous-feline-facts
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