Whiskers! 😸

For a smallish little three-year-old cat, LittleBit has some of the most amazing whiskers I think I've ever seen on a feline! They are plentiful and quite long for her size.

Whiskers are specialized hairs, scientifically called vibrissae by zoologists because they vibrate when touched. Those vibrations are passed down the hair shaft to nerve sensors in the hair follicle. Whiskers help animals to navigate into tight spaces and feel their way in the dark, even though feline eyesight is quite good at night.

Cats are crepuscular, meaning they are active at dawn and dusk. That may be why they need such good night vision. Their eyes have six to eight times more rod cells, which are more sensitive to low light, than humans do. ^[1]

LittleBit loves to lie on my tummy as I am sitting on the sofa, frequently with my laptop in my lap. She watches the screen and sometimes puts her little paws on the keyboard. She loves it when I scritch her behind her ears, rub the top of her little head, and otherwise give her some luvin' when she's lying there. She sometimes puts her little nose up in the air when I do this, as a sign of happiness, bliss, and complete trust. It was during one of those precious moments recently when I was able to very quietly pick up my phone and snap this photo. It shows her whiskers rather nicely, but still does not quite do justice to their full magnificence!