How many kinds of hairs do cats have? Infographic.

The infographic answers the question in the title.

Here is a little bit more detail on the kinds of hair that domestic cats have up. Of course, the domestic cat has the same kind of hairs that their wildcat ancestor has, namely, four kinds as mentioned in the Infographic. There may be as many as 200 hairs per square millimetre giving the cat in excellent fur coat and adequate protection.

How many hairs on a cat?
How many hairs on a cat? Photo: Pixabay.

RELATED: How many hairs on a cat? – click the link to see my calculation.

As you perhaps know, the down hairs are the ones closer to the skin. It is their primary role to keep the animal warm and to conserve body heat. They are the shortest, thinnest and softest hairs of the four hair types. They are roughly the same diameter down the whole length. They are not straight but they have many undulations making them appear crimped or crickled when viewed under a microscope. It is their curly, soft quality which provides the cat with the warmth that they require.

RELATED: Stiffened hairs above domestic cat eyes are for triggering blink reflex

The awn hairs form the middle coat. They are intermediate between soft underfur and guard hairs on the topcoat. The task of awn hairs is partially to insulate and partially to protect. They are bristly and they swell slightly towards the tip before the final tapering off. Some experts divide them into three different types namely the down-awn hairs, the awn hairs and the guard-awn hairs. They describe subtle distinctions.

The guard hairs form the protective topcoat. They are the longest and thickest and protect the underfur from the outside elements helping to keep the cat dry and snug. They are straight and evenly tapered along their length.

The vibrissae are, as you properly know, the whiskers. They are very thick and toughened. Set against that toughened nature, they are incredibly sensitive because they are attached to a bundle of nerves in the muzzle and at the base of all whiskers. They are employed as sensitive organs of touch. Their specialised tactile nature allow them to detect even small air currents around objects which further allows the cat to understand their immediate environment in the dark.

These specialised tactile hairs are found on the cheeks and the chin and the upper lips. You will also find them over the eyes and on the wrists of the four legs. There are very few of them compared to the numbers of the other hair types. But as you might know they play a vital role both as described and in hunting where they can act as feelers.

Of the three types of general body hair on the wildcat, the down hairs are the most numerous. For every thousand down hairs there will be only 300 awn hairs and 20 guard hairs. This ratio varies with the different breeds of purebred cats. This is because selective breeding has changed the coat between the breeds. Some have fine and thin shorthair coats while others such as the Persian have very long fur.

It could be argued that selective breeding has “played havoc” with the natural coat of the cat and often purebred cats are less able to survive and thrive in the wild compared to a non-purebred cat. Some would suffer from the cold, others from the heat and some suffer from tangled or matted fur without daily grooming from their caregivers. This would apply to the contemporary Persian for example.

Shorthaired cats are much easier to take care of in terms of their coat because you can use a flea comb through the coat which allows you to comb their coat and check for fleas at the same time. This would be entirely impossible for a cat like the Persian. The process is pleasurable for the cat and functional in that fleas can be detected and removed while the bond between caregiver and cat is deepened.

Leave a Comment

follow it link and logo