Catface: Identifying Characteristics
| Identifying the stress: | A catface is usually located on the lower part of the tree trunk, roughly from knee- to head-height. A shallow area in the center, caused by the removal of the bark, is surrounded by a raised ridge or border where the cut bark has healed. Inside the exposed area there are two series of parallel, angled slashes that resemble the whiskers of a cat. The slashes meet in the middle to form a stacked series of broad, shallow, V-shaped scars. Sometimes pieces of metal are still attached to the tree below the scars. Catfaces can become avenues for insects, pathogens, and other organisms to attack the trunk, and so the tree may show other damage as well. |
| Susceptible trees: | The most common trees used for the production of pine resin were slash pine (Pinus elliottii) and longleaf pine (Pinus palustris). |