Dear Dr. Kind,

Is it true that if a cat loses his whiskers, he'll lose his balance?

Yvonne
Texas

Dear Yvonne,

No, he won't lose his balance, but he may have a harder time getting by in the dark. A cat's 24 whiskers are like an early warning system that tells what's around him. How?

Whiskers, called vibrissae, are super-sensitive hairs connected to nerves. If there are even slight changes in air currents—like when a cat approaches another animal or an object—the hairs vibrate. The way they move gives a cat signals about the size and shape of things around him. That's important when it's too dark to see! Whiskers also measure how wide an opening is. If they touch the sides of the opening, it's probably too small for kitty to fit through. Warning: Back up or get stuck!

Sincerely, 

Get the facts—and the myths—about spaying and neutering in the What is Spaying and Neutering? And Why Should My Pets Have These Operations? coloring book. To receive a copy of the coloring book, send $2.00 to Humane Society Youth, Spay/Neuter Coloring Book, 67 Norwich Essex Turnpike, East Haddam, CT  06423.