Jojo, like all cats, has highly evolved senses!
Fun feline facts
Whiskers aren’t only cute facial features—they’re highly sensitive touch receptors that help cats evaluate their environment. Unlike normal hair, each whisker has a rich nerve and blood supply at its root, which allows information to travel via the nervous system to the brain. Whiskers aid in spatial awareness by helping cats measure gaps and small spaces and to detect changes, such as air currents or nearby objects. Whiskers also act as balancing instruments, providing the brain with vital information about the cat’s body and limb position relative to the ground.
Cats’ ears are like tiny satellites. They have incredible hearing and can independently rotate their cone-shaped ears to amplify sounds and locate their source. Cats can detect frequencies as high as 64,000 Hertz, compared with humans, who can hear up to around 20,000 Hertz. This sharp sense of hearing helps cats recognize and locate the high-pitched sounds of small rodent prey animals.
Knead-y cats are happy cats. This behavior begins early in life when kittens knead their mothers’ bellies to stimulate milk flow. Adult cats continue to knead whenever they are content or comfortable, often accompanied by purring or half-closed eyes.
Cats evolved from desert-dwelling ancestors and have a low thirst drive. Many cats are chronically dehydrated, which can cause health issues, such as dehydration and urinary tract problems. Keep your cat hydrated by providing fresh water daily and ensuring their diet includes wet food.
Cats can see in the dark. You can’t hide from your cat. Cats possess extraordinary night vision that allows them to see in conditions with very little light, making them excellent hunters even at dusk or in near-total darkness.
From their instinctive behaviors and sharp senses to their unique health needs, understanding cats at both a species and individual level is crucial to giving them the best possible life.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact VCA Neshaminy Animal Hospital at 215-355-1116.
