What Do Black Whiskers On A Cat Mean?

What Do Black Whiskers On A Cat Mean?

Having black whiskers on a cat is a completely natural process. It simply means that your cat is becoming more mature and has advanced beyond the kitten stage.

Unlike some popular beliefs in some parts of the world, there is no scientific backing to prove that it brings bad luck to a person.

In this article, more details would be discussed on the causes of black whiskers on a cat, the importance of cat whiskers, and many more. As a cat owner, you do not want to miss reading this.

Let’s get straight right into it by checking out the causes of black whiskers on your cat.

Reasons Behind The Black Whiskers On A Cat

Cat whiskers can suddenly turn black for two specific reasons. This section of this article is going to be outlining these facts and how they affect the color of the whiskers. So, let’s get into it:

1. Age

The first factor that can cause a cat to develop black whiskers is age. As a cat grows older, it starts to experience changes in its size and other parts of the body.

As little as a cat’s whisker may seem, it is also among the parts of the body that experiences changes due to the growth of the cat.

READ MORE: Why Is My Cat Nose So Wet?

So here is how it works: As a cat grows, the cavity in charge of the color of the whisker begins to deplete and as a result, the original color of the whisker begins to fade.

You see, this can be relatable to almost every living thing, take for instance, a human. As humans begin to age to an advanced stage, among other things that experience change, is the color of their hair.

The hair color begins to change from the original color they were born with to a grey color or white. So, now you get to understand why a cat’s whisker color may become black as they age.

However, it is good to note that as they age, the whisker color may not always change to black. Other common color changes may be white and grey.

2. Colour Of The Fur

The color of the cat fur also plays a role in the formation of black whiskers on a cat. There is a large tendency that a cat that has black fur would grow up to develop black whiskers. So, this is completely logical.

However, it is also good to note that on rare occasions a cat with a dominant fur color can develop a whisker that is different in color from its fur. There have been cases of a cat with brown fur developing white whiskers.

These are the two main factors that determine the color of a cat’s whisker not just the fact that they are black.

So, in essence, what determines the black whiskers on a cat is either the fact that the cat may be growing to an advanced stage or the fact that its fur color has a dominant color — black, and as a result, the whisker is of that same color.

Now that we’ve seen the causes of black whiskers on a cat, is it then wise to remove it? The next subheading discusses just that.

Effect Of Removing Black Whiskers On A Cat

Some cat owners might think that it would be wise to begin to remove the black whiskers on their cats. They may argue that it is not fitting to the cat’s beauty or for some other reasons. Let’s see some effects of removing the black whiskers on your cat.

1. It Helps In Its Movements

The cat’s whiskers play a very important role in the movement of a cat. It works hand-in-hand with the nose of the cat to determine how it should move, where it should move, and if it should move in the first place.

You often see a cat’s whiskers shaking slightly when it is about to make a move toward its prey. So, it also affects its survival in a way. This is one of the most important functions of the cat’s whiskers.

2. Provides an Idea On Where It Should Stay

The cat whiskers help the cat to know how wide space is for its habitat. It helps it to have an idea of how wide an area is for it to keep its kitten or to stay. So, just like the eye, the cat needs to have its whiskers attached to it.

3. Helps Provides Balance

Along with the legs and tail, the cat whiskers whether black or white or any other color helps gives the cat its balance. Of course, there is no need to stress how important balance is especially in the mobility of the cat.

Do you still want to cut off your cat whiskers after reading this? If you love your cat and want the best for it, you wouldn’t want to attempt that. Even if you want to, your cat might just decide to play the aggressive game with you and things may go south. So rather than worrying about how to cut off the whisker on your cat. Don’t you think it would be wise to leave it that way?

 FAQ

Can cats have black whiskers?

Cats can have black whiskers. The factors that contribute to a cat having back whiskers may be age or the adoption of the dominant color of the fur.

What Colour should a cat’s whiskers be?

Cat’s whiskers are not color specific. They can be white, black, grey, or even any color that has been passed down the gene. However, the most common colors of cat whiskers are white and black.

What happens if you cut off a cat’s whiskers?

If you cut off a cat’s whiskers, the navigation, balance and spatial awareness, and overall survival of the cat would be affected. This is because the cat’s whiskers play a big role in all of this.

Conclusion

As you’ve seen in this article, black whiskers on a cat can only mean two things which can be that the cat is aging and is no more a kitten or the fact that whiskers follow the dominant fur color which may be black. However, it is good to note that it would not be wise to cut off the whiskers of your cat as it is important in the mobility and overall survival of your pet. You’ll agree that this article has been both educative and interesting.

 

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