eyebrows

by Linda
(orlando fl)

Why does my cat have eyebrows that turn out instead of going back toward his head

RESPONSE:

Cats don’t really have eyebrows although I’ve seen cats with contrasting fur color that makes it look like they have them. Cats have a form of whiskers over their eyes. These stiff hairs (vibrissae) are embedded deeper in the cat’s body that it’s regular fur. They are also securely attached to the sensitive muscular and nervous systems. This allows each of the stiff hairs to move independently so the cat can feel air movement and detect changes in its surroundings. Think of it as a sort of “feline radar”.

At the end of each stiff hair is a sensory organ called a proprioceptor. This sends signals to the brain, thus a cat can gauge distance etc. However, these hairs are also indicators of moods, such as when a cat is scared the hairs lay flat against its head, when it’s curious they move forward and away from the face and when excited they point almost completely forward.

So, it sounds like your cat is happy and alert, with its brow whiskers simply pointed forward as it tests the air and shows its curiosity. There are other similar but shorter whisker-like hairs even behind their front legs and a full description of this is found here: Cat Whiskers.

Best wishes to both of you.

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