Cat Expert Explains What A “Floof” Really Is

It’s no secret that cats can be quite floofy, but have you ever wondered what it is about a cat that makes them a floof?

Renowned cat expert Jackson Galaxy took to YouTube to address the hot-button topic.

“What is floof? Is it a noun, a verb, an adjective… or a way of life? We’re tackling only the hardest-hitting questions…so join us on this investigative deep-dive into floof,” he wrote in the video’s description.

In the video, Galaxy explains what makes a cat a floof in the first place, explaining that it really comes down to the cat’s coat.

He said:

“We have the guard hairs which are the outer hair. It’s also called primary hairs. They are coarse and straight and they taper to a fine tip to insulate a cat’s body and protect the skin and assist their sense of touch. They’re almost like little whiskers. Medium-sized awn hairs come below that. …And then the secondary hairs are those located in the undercoat. These crimped or rippled appearing hairs are the thinnest in a cat’s coat. … All together these three layers of floofy hair help to regulate body temperature.”

According to Collins Dictionary, a floof is simply another word for “fluff” or “an exceptionally furry or hairy animal, esp a cat or dog.”

The dictionary notes that the word is often used with humorous undertones. It’s interesting to see how the English language changes and evolves to adapt to the culture. It’s especially fun to see when that change relates to cats!

You can see Jackson Galaxy’s full video explanation of what makes a floof below: