Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and meet my five funny cats: Clutch, Cyril, Alex, Zelda, and Zazzles.
When looking at my ginger cat, Alex, it’s hard not to notice that he has remarkably long whiskers, especially for a short-haired cat, and it makes me wonder about some of the so-called ‘rules’ ‘ about beards. These are some of the claims made about whiskers, or as they are technically called, vibrissae:
- Cats use whiskers to measure the width of a space to see if they can fit in it
- Fatter cats have longer whiskers
- A cat’s whiskers are proportional to the width of their body
But when I look at the different sizes of my cats compared to the length of their whiskers, these theories don’t seem to add up very much.
Whiskers As A Measuring Tool
Have you ever watched a cat squeeze, jump, or run through a narrow gap? How often do they stop to test the width with their whiskers? And, judging by the contortions they manage to navigate through such narrow openings, how noticeable are they in this ‘whisker feedback’ anyway?
Fatter Cats Have Longer Widows
One look at Cyril will tell you that this is not the case. As my squishy, huggable, resident fatty, Cyril is almost twice the size of our smallest cat, Zazzles. Even with a lean body weight, he is a big cat, but his whiskers are of relatively medium length.
Although whiskers are shed and replaced like normal hair, they don’t grow if a cat is gaining weight, so it’s probably a good thing they don’t rely on them to suss out the accessibility of small spaces. , or we’d see more tubby tabbies trapped in small openings!
Whiskers Proportional to Body Width
I took it upon myself to measure the width of each of my cats at the shoulders, which, except for Cyril (who is on a diet), is the widest part of the cat’s body. I then measured the total width of their whiskers at the longest whisker to see how they compared.
Visually, Clutch’s beard looks the most proportional to his body, while Zazzle’s seems short, even considering his petite frame. When I looked at the ratios of whisker length to body width, I noticed something particularly interesting – Clutch’s whisker to body ratio was 1.6 : 1.
And that, my friends, is known as The Golden Ratio.
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| Whisker width | 23 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 22 |
| Shoulder width | 14 | 11.5 | 16 | 12 | 15 |
| ratio | 1.7:1 | 1.6:1 | 1.1:1 | 1.3:1 | 1.4:1 |
The Golden Ratio
Also known as ‘Phi’ and ‘The Divine Proportion’, this is a ratio seen in nature over and over again. Although physics scholars are quick to dismiss the significance of this ratio when seen in biological organisms, the idea that features exhibiting these proportions are considered examples of ‘perfect beauty’ is a with visionaries like Leonardo DaVinci subscribed to, as shown in his famous. Vitruvian man. Although it is easy to dismiss this as coincidence or chance, there are many instances in nature and architecture where this divine ratio can be observed, from the spirals of a nautilus shell, the design of the pyramids, to the proportions of human face And now, in Clutch’s beard.
As I mentioned, when looking at the different characteristics of my five cats, Clutch’s whiskers seem to be the most proportional to his face and body, so it’s funny that his whisker-to-body width ratio is arguably divine!
Alex’s long-whiskered ratio is an impressive 1.7 to 1, while Cyril’s is a rather embarrassing 1.1 to 1.
What is the Purpose of Whiskers?
Many people would say that because they have farsightedness, cats use their whiskers to help navigate their surroundings. However, this does not seem logical or practical. Waiting for the delicate hairs to stick to something before making their move doesn’t exactly fit with the cat’s smooth, stealthy movements.
Due to the level of sensitivity of feline vibrissae, they most likely evolved to detect changes in air flow created by the slightest movement of animals, allowing them to locate prey in low-light conditions. dusk and dawn, the most popular times. for hunting cats. It would also explain why our cats often get upset when windy weather wreaks havoc with their navigational instruments!
Does Whisker Length Matter?
Is Clutch better for hunting because his whiskers follow the golden ratio? Or do Alex’s distant vibrissae give him a strategic advantage?
Since my cats live indoors and don’t necessarily get their dinner, I can’t really judge them on their relative hunting skills, but my instincts tell me ‘no’. I think Cyril’s preference for lying on his back rather than increasing his heart rate will affect his victim count more than his short beard.
Have domestication and selective breeding changed the divine whisker proportions beyond what is ‘optimal’? Judging by the Sphynx’s stubbly vibrissae, or the Rapunzelesque whiskers of some long-haired breeds, I’d have to say: yes. A very long beard will be more of a hindrance than a help, while non-existent beards will not help at all!
The attractive length of Alex’s whiskers may give him a slight advantage over the likes of Zazzles or Cyril, but when that ratio rises above 1.7, you’re dealing with hairs that are more likely to chaotic rather than offering a tactical advantage.
It would certainly be interesting, albeit difficult, to study the whisker:body width figure of feral cats and their larger relatives to see if the golden ratio prevails in nature – I’m looking at you, prospective PhD candidates !
This article is part of a series by Dr. Karyn with her five funny cats.
