Whiskers are rooted deeply within the skin and are surrounded by many blood vessels and nerves. They are thicker and more rigid than hair. The main function of whiskers is to provide the animal with a means of sensing the environment and moving around in it, especially when it is dark. This function is similar to the function of antennae. Usually, the whisker can’t feel anything but when something brushes against the whisker, it causes it to vibrate. The nerves in the hair follicle sense the vibration.

Whiskers are not like hair because the hair can’t provide any sensory information. Mammals, except humans, usually have whiskers. The animals that have whiskers are in a group called the vibrissal group, which includes chinchillas, rats, seals, manatees, dogs, and cats.