Research overview: carpal whiskers on the feline foreleg

In addition to facial whiskers, cats possess carpal vibrissae on the underside of the wrists, or carpi, of the forelegs. This overview surveys these lesser-known tactile hairs and their proposed role in prey handling. Positioned where the forelegs grasp and pin struggling prey, the carpal whiskers may detect the movement and position of a captured animal too close to the face for the mystacial whiskers or eyes to monitor effectively. The survey relates this to the cat's predatory style, in which prey is often held down with the paws during the killing bite. It frames the carpal whiskers as part of a distributed tactile system that extends sensing to the limbs. Documenting these whiskers expands the picture of feline touch beyond the face, showing that even the forelegs carry specialized sensors that contribute to the precise, tactile control of capturing and subduing prey.