If you have been reading my personal blog over the past few years, as well as what I have contributed here at NDIN, then you have been exposed to a few of the stranger things that I have revealed about myself.
I have told you about my Obsession with jars (to use of course), I like mechanical pencils (that is not too strange I guess), and that I can write backwards (yup, I know that is strange!)
There is one collection that I have that I have not told you about. It isn’t a secret. It just doesn’t come up in conversation that much. So, here it goes. Hi, My name is Emily and I collect cat whiskers.
Actually, my dad started this collection. We moved from Wisconsin to Minnesota when I was ten years old. With moving, comes a lot of boxes. One of the tall boxes ended up in my parents new bedroom, waiting to be unpacked. Before long our two cats found the top of this box to be the purr-fect perch on which to sleep, look outside, and all-around hang out. When the box was finally unpacked, it stayed here covered with a nice blanket to make this purr-fect cat perch more comfortable.
Our cats used this perch constantly. One day my dad found a cat whisker on the blanket and showed it to me. A purr-fect, long cat whisker. I always loved cat whiskers and here was my dad showing me one. I was around 11 years old. He thought it was pretty special and found a little box for it and showed me where he put it in his desk drawer. I could go in there anytime I wanted to and take a peak.
As the years went on, more whiskers were placed for safe keeping in the little box and the cat whisker collection grew. Every now and then a newly found whisker would stand out and my dad would measure it to see if it was the longest in the collection.
I have the little box now and my cats whiskers have added to it over the years. After admiring the long beautiful whiskers on my friends cats, I opened our mailbox one day to find that he had sent us one of his cat whiskers to add to the collection. It is still the longest in the collection.
I can spot a cat whisker from across the room. I have found cat whiskers in most of the rooms in our house; on the floor, on our bed. I can even spot them across the room (only if it is a white whisker on a dark color or black whisker on a light color though.) If whiskers do come up in conversation and I tell someone about my collection, they are amazed that I can even find the whiskers and claim they have never seen one in all the years they have cats. While they are amazed I find them, I am amazed that they haven’t.
Do you have cats ad have you ever found whiskers?
Sincerely, Emily
You can see what else I am up to over at Sincerely, Emily. The topics are varied, as I jump around from gardening to sewing to making bread or lotion and many things in between.
Our only cats are feral and should I be foolish enough to attempt to liberate one of their moustachio’s I dare say I would deserve my punishment!
. You win for the weirdest collection by the way 
Hi Fran – aah, ya. No collecting from the farel’s outside. I don’t attempt hat either and I have never found a whisker outside. Thanks for the “weirdest” collection award. ha!
Emily,
This post took me quickly yet gently through a huge range of emotions!
I’d never thought anyone collect cat whiskers
Hi Michelle – it is interesting to me when I sit down to write about something, like this whisker collection, all the memories it brings up for me. Strong memories of my dad with this one.
I don’t collect them but 2 of our cats have had the most beautiful whiskers and I wish we had collected our now gone Ginger’s whiskers. He was such a sweet, big fellow that I wish we had more than memories and pictures of him. And yes, I spot whiskers everywhere!
Hi Lorelei – you have mentioned your cat named Ginger before. I am glad that you do have photos of him. I have the collar from one of our cats still. I usually re-used them, but I just could not do that with his. There are still times I hear the click on his tags. Powerful stuff. A few years ago I decided to take all their collars off. I am sure they feel so much better. I am glad they all had collars when were were in CA and in a busy neighborhood, but they hardly leave the house anymore and don’t go far (and they are all chipped now)
I am so glad someone else out there spots whiskers!!!
I haven’t spotted one of Bob’s whiskers around, but then I haven’t really been looking out for them. We certainly have plenty of his regular hairs!
Hi Emily – So funny. I think the regular hairs out weight the whiskers something like 4 million to one. Cat hair EVERYWHERE! You will have to let me know if you start spotting whiskers now. ha
ohh cool i am glad i am not the only one who collects cat whiskers, i have doen this for as long as i have had my current cat, Fric. she leaves them laying about the place. i have a little test-tube with stopper that i keep them in. My cat Fric has white whiskers, as she is one of those tuxedo cats, which we call black and white moggies here in NZ..
not even sure if i will ever do anything with them persay but i do love them.. *grins*
Hi PP – oh how neat (and strange at the same time) that there is someone else out there collecting them. I don’t have plans for my whisker collection… it just is what it is. The little test tube you keep your in sounds perfect. Fric sounds beautiful.