Long hairs on back of legs

[SukiSuki]

My Suki has these long whisker like hairs behind her legs. I've never noticed that with my other cats before. Anyone else have cats with hairs like this. They are not hard like whiskers..they just stick out. Haha I love them. Just wondering why she has those. She is a short haired silver torbie.

 

[SukiSuki]

Well shoot. I just realized that's not the best pic to show what I'm describing.

 

[SukiSuki]

Wow. Okay I Google it. I should have done that first.
They are carpal whiskers and all cats have them ha. I don't know how to delete my post?

 

[pipperoo]

Don't fret! I had the same question a few months back. I got alarmed because i felt a bump on the back of my cat's leg and there are only two fine carpal whiskers on each leg so i didn't notice them. Of course I started panicking and thinking she possibly had a cancerous growth and i googled (bump on back of cat's leg) and found the same info you found!!

Interesting role they play: to feel the movement of captured prey!

 

[Meowmee]

My Suki has these long whisker like hairs behind her legs. I've never noticed that with my other cats before. Anyone else have cats with hairs like this. They are not hard like whiskers..they just stick out. Haha I love them. Just wondering why she has those. She is a short haired silver torbie.

I think all cars have them… although I haven't noticed them on all my kitties, the whiskers tell a cat where it can pass through etc. as well.

 

[jessapaints]

LOL I came on here because I also thought my cat was unique in having these :') <3

 

[StefanZ]

My Suki has these long whisker like hairs behind her legs. I've never noticed that with my other cats before. Anyone else have cats with hairs like this. They are not hard like whiskers..they just stick out. Haha I love them. Just wondering why she has those. She is a short haired silver torbie.

These too are vibrissae, near related with whiskers. Helps the cat orientate in darkness, and feels of not only touch, but also vibrations and air movements.

 

[StefanZ]

Wow. Okay I Google it. I should have done that first.
They are carpal whiskers and all cats have them ha. I don't know how to delete my post?

oh no, do not delete. Its good others see these answers if they google, or search throught our forums

Otherwise, if you really wish to delete a post, click on the icon for flag / report; and ask a moderator to take away the post.

 

[DeesCats]

I've noticed them on 2 of my cats, both cats are black and white and those carpal whiskers which are white.

 

[StefanZ]

Re vibrissae; it was mentionend whiskers "mustasches" and these carpal whiskers.

They have usually also such vibrissae on the forebrow. Very visible on some cats, less visible on others. Probably all have them.


ps. The root of the word vibrissae is probably vibration... So its not only touching the feel, they feel vibrations in the air tx to these.

 

[Caspers Human]

It's part of the reason why people think that cats can see in the dark.

Cats can certainly see in the dark better than humans but, no creature's eyes can see when it's "dark-dark," with no light at all. However, the vibrissae, all over the cat's body give it the ability to sense things that might make it seem like they can see in the dark.

Their hearing contributes, too. Some scientists believe that they can use their hearing the same way bats use their hearing like sonar to localize sounds in three dimensions.