While some people may consider their cats members of the family, they are actually part of a much larger family - the cat family. Not all cats in this family are small like people's pets. Some cats are big and wild. Every cat, big or small, has whiskers. Whiskers are thick, long hairs on each side of a cat's face.
Cats use their whiskers to feel around in the dark, fit through small spaces and get around objects.
Cat whiskers are so sensitive that they can feel slight changes in the air. All cats walk around on four feet called paws. Walking quietly is important to big cats who must hunt for food. Cats use their paws to clean their faces, too. On their feet, cats have sharp claws that they use to scratch, grip and tear things.