SMARTY Q: Why do cats have whiskers???

Speaker 0· Host0:01

[upbeat music] Hey there, smartypants. It's time once again for SmartyQ, the show where I, the trusty narrator, answer questions from you, the smartypants. Today, we've got some super fun questions about cats, candy, shark teeth, crying, and the speedy blue video game legend, Sonic the Hedgehog. I can't wait to get smarted. [upbeat music] Here we go. Our first question comes from Smarty fan Mia in Minneapolis, Minnesota, who asks, "Why do cats have whiskers?" Great question, Mia. Those whiskers on a cat's face aren't just fancy decorations. They're actually super important tools that help them. You see, a cat's whiskers are actually very sensitive hairs connected to special nerve endings under the skin. This means a cat's whiskers can detect tiny changes in the air around them. For example, when a kitty walks towards a narrow space, its whiskers can brush against the sides and tell it whether it can fit through the opening or not. In fact, a cat's whiskers are usually about as wide as its body. Whiskers also help cats hunt. They can sense small movements in the air caused by nearby animals, which helps the cat locate prey, even in the dark. So while they may look cute and twitchy, whiskers are actually one of a cat's most powerful sensory tools. Okay, our next question comes from a smartypants who was inspired by some Sour Patch Kids candy she got on Halloween.