Research overview: early whisker and tactile development in kittens

Touch is one of the earliest functional senses in kittens, and the whisker system is important from the beginning of life. This overview surveys early tactile and whisker development in kittens, which rely on touch to navigate toward the mother and to sense their immediate surroundings before vision and hearing mature. Whiskers are present and functional early, providing tactile information that guides nursing and movement in the nest. The survey relates this to the broader sequence of sensory development, in which touch and smell lead and vision and hearing follow. It discusses how the tactile system supports the helpless neonate. Understanding early whisker and tactile development emphasizes the priority of touch in young kittens. It connects to the adult role of whiskers in navigation and hunting, showing that the tactile sense the grown cat depends on is already at work in the newborn, helping a blind and deaf kitten find its way and its mother.