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General Science => Question of the Week => Topic started by: thedoc on 02/11/2011 15:58:55

Title: QotW - 11.10.29 - Is human facial hair like a cat's whiskers?
Post by: thedoc on 02/11/2011 15:58:55

Do cat whiskers and human facial hair have anything in common as of their uses?
Asked by George Pope


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Title: Do cat whiskers and human facial hair have anything in common?
Post by: JnA on 12/03/2011 23:21:38

Cats whiskers are tactile and set deeper into the skin than other hair. They use them to sense air pressure and spacial changes. We can't really do that with facial hair. Removing a cats whiskers is uncomfortable and limiting for the cat. Humans remove facial hair with no real functional side effects, unless you wax your face.. that might hurt a bit.

Title: QotW - 11.10.30 - Is human facial hair like a cat's whiskers?
Post by: krool1969 on 25/10/2011 00:04:07

This is second hand but others might be able to confirm it's true.
A friend told me about a cat who's whiskers had been cut off. The cat then seemed to have quite a bit of trouble with balance.

Title: QotW - 11.10.30 - Is human facial hair like a cat's whiskers?
Post by: RD on 26/10/2011 05:30:42

Quote from: krool1969 on 25/10/2011 00:04:07

... a cat who's whiskers had been cut off.

Is this the culprit ? ... 

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-3u9qLV7Rq7A%2FTcLoYQ-fXkI%2FAAAAAAAABc8%2Fz8OKZrR1YuU%2Fs1600%2Fcat-man-1.jpg&hash=49357d570a3ed9ad73329b7b518660f2)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalking_Cat   [:0]



This guy "grows his own" ...

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http://www.worldbeardchampionships.com/  [:)]

Title: QotW - 11.10.30 - Is human facial hair like a cat's whiskers?
Post by: Lor on 27/10/2011 06:13:52

I was told the cats whiskers were to help them judge tight spaces, keep them from harm-if the cats whiskers are disturbed, then they are aware they wont fit thru, and thats why they are the length they are. I don't know if this is true but it sounded valid when i heard it.

Title: QotW - 11.10.29 - Is human facial hair like a cat's whiskers?
Post by: DAVID WOOD on 14/11/2011 12:10:15

Jazz i think i have heard that before as well

Title: None
Post by: Cal King on 21/05/2013 20:48:18

Hair evolved originally as whiskers on some therapsid reptiles, and they only appeared on the rest of the body later in the earliest mammals, through a simple mutation. Therefore there is no question human hair and cat whiskers are 2 versions of the same structure.