Does cutting a cat's whiskers hurt them? Cutting a cat's whiskers won't hurt them, but it will cause stress and confusion because cats rely on their whiskers to communicate, balance, protect themselves, and learn about the world around them.
Vets and experts agree that whiskers should never be trimmed or cut. Clipping your cat's whiskers would be like taking away part of their vision or sense of smell. Doing so would be highly disorienting for your feline family member.
Whiskers Don't Need Trimming!
But you should never trim them. A cat with cut whiskers will become disoriented and scared. “If you cut them, that's like blindfolding someone, taking away one of their ways of identifying what's in their environment,” says veterinarian Jane Brunt.
Cat Whiskers are Very Sensitive
Whiskers are embedded much deeper into the skin than ordinary fur. The cat whiskers area is also filled with numerous nerves and blood flow, making the whisker tips highly sensitive. Due to this sensitivity, cats can experience pain or discomfort if they play with their whiskers.
Whiskers are more sensitive than regular hairs because the follicles from which they originate are jam-packed with blood vessels and nerves. In fact, whiskers are as sensitive as a human's fingertips.
Your cat's whiskers can sense vibrations in the air, making them incredibly useful when measuring distances or chasing prey. Additionally, they can also detect changes in air currents, enabling them to sense approaching dangers – making them sort of like their very own radar.
Cat whisker fatigue – also called whisker stress – is a term veterinarians use to describe the sensory overload cats feel when their sensitive whiskers repeatedly touch a surface, according to an article by Oklahoma State University Veterinary Medical Hospital.
Tail: Most cats don't particularly like to be petted on the tail. And for what it's worth, a cat's tail is a good measuring stick for how stimulated (read: agitated) she's becoming as a result of your petting. The more it starts to move, the sooner you should keep your hands to yourself.
So what is it about scent-gland areas that cause cats to enjoy being petted there? When you rub these spots (like the cheeks behind the whiskers, pictured here), the glands release your cat's scent onto you. Cat experts call this "scent marking."
While some cats enjoy having their tails touched, others will recoil and even experience pain from a tail stroke. Take it slowly, paying close attention to your cat's reactions to your touch and always respecting their preferences.
Why do some cats dislike belly rubs? Hair follicles on the belly and tail area are hypersensitive to touch, so petting there can be overstimulating, Provoost says. “Cats prefer to be pet and scratched on the head, specifically under their chin and cheeks,” where they have scent glands, Provoost says.
But why do cats like getting their cheek and chin scratched? Well, cats live scent-driven lives. And it turns out, their favourite places to be stroked releases a lot of scents called pheromones—we just can't smell them. Scratching a cat's cheek or chin causes your scent to mix with theirs, making them even happier.
' Thankfully, cat whiskers do grow back if they've been cut or naturally fallen off. Phew. However, it can take some time and, as we've discussed above, whiskers are a key part of cat communication so a loss of whiskers can affect how your feline friend navigates their environment and how they feel within themselves.
Trimming a cat's claws every two to three weeks is an important part of maintaining your pet's health. Not only does a quick trim protect you, your pet and your family, it can also save your sofa, curtains and other furniture.
They are, in fact, hair
And similar to the rest of your cat's hair, whiskers do fall out on their own and grow back.
Whisker fatigue doesn't exactly mean the whiskers are tired, rather, they've become stressed from overuse. The most common cause of whisker fatigue is something a cat does every day – eating and drinking. Small, high-sided bowls typically used for feeding a cat's food and water are usually to blame for whisker fatigue.
Cats typically don't like being petted on their tummy, legs/feet, or tail. Of course, there are always outliers—some cats will love every bit of affection, no matter where they're touched or who's doing it. But generally, you shouldn't pet a cat you don't know on their stomach or extremities.
The ears - Some cats like their ears scratched, rubbed, or gently twisted. A few even go for having a knuckle rubbed against their ears' exteriors. If your cat appears to have very itchy ears, ask the vet to take a look at them. Itchiness could signal mites or allergies.
Hugging your arm or leg and biting you is a classic cat hunting move. When cats catch large prey, they will often grasp it with their front legs and then bite it while 'bunny kicking' with their back legs. If your cat is doing this to you, they are misdirecting their hunting behaviour onto you.
Smell Transfer
Cats recognize each other (and us) by scent. Raising the butt is your cat's way of getting their anal glands closer to your nose so you can get a whiff of their pheromones.
Every cat is different. While some cats enjoy being kissed, others will not. Some will feel love, while others will not see kissing as a sign of affection. There are better ways than kissing to show a cat affection that they will understand.
In general, cats prefer to be stroked along their back or scratched under the chin or around the ears. Paws, tails, their underbellies and their whiskers (which are super sensitive) are best avoided.
The answer is yes, cats can have autism. While it's not as common as in humans, there are certain behaviors that suggest a cat might have autism. Cats with autism often exhibit repetitive behaviors like pacing or spinning, excessive vocalization and having trouble adapting to change.
Whisker fatigue, also known as whisker stress, is a newly described phenomenon that refers to the overstimulation a cat experiences when their whiskers brush up against the sides of a narrow or deep bowl.
While some vets and animal experts seem to agree that cats can get ADHD, the condition isn't recognized by all. Cats can exhibit symptoms or personality and behavioral traits that are often linked to ADHD in humans, especially human children.