How long should cat whiskers be

Get tips and exclusive deals. Nov 2. Nov 1. Oct Give a Gift. Cat yowling or making another sound. Cats How cool are cat whiskers, you wonder? Well, did you know cats have whiskers on their legs? So, why do cats have whiskers? What can your cat's whiskers tell you? By JaneA Kelley. Share on facebook Facebook.

Share on twitter Twitter. Share on linkedin LinkedIn. Share on pinterest Pinterest. Share on email Email. They are exquisitely sensitive Cat whiskers are very sensitive. Tags: Behavior , Catster Tips. JaneA Kelley JaneA is the webmaster and chief cat slave for Paws and Effect, an award-winning cat advice blog written by her cats, for cats and their people.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published. Current Issue. Therefore, these whiskers allow cats to guide themselves while also detecting the presence of any possible nearby obstacle. If, however, they are straight,tense and facing forward, your cat is alert. For more about what your cat is showing through its body, take a look at our article: Cat body language , with examples and pictures!

If you have a large cat, expect it to have longer whiskers. In fact, it is known that Maine coons large cat breed usually have quite long whiskers. Whatever you do, do not cut them. If your cat has large whiskers, take a look at whether it fits into our article on: the 12 largest cat breeds! The only difference is that they are thicker and hold a different function. And due to this lack of natural ability, a cat that has had its whiskers cut becomes more prone to suffering from stress.

For more, we recommend reading up on: Symptoms of stress in cats. This is why we have decided to list some false myths about cat whiskers that every cat owner should be aware of:. Share on:. Since cats tend to be stoic, a team of researchers at the University of Calgary developed a feline pain scale that uses clues about how a cat holds its head, ears, muzzle, and the position of their whiskers to determine their level of pain. The tool is aimed at helping veterinarians assess how a cat is feeling to guide their treatment decisions.

The whiskers touching the side of the food or water bowls when cats eat or drink is an oft-cited cause for whisker fatigue also known as whisker stress but there is no hard data to confirm a diagnosis. Cats are born with 24 whiskers—two sets of 12 whiskers arranged in four lines on each side of their face, according to Kornreich. While kittens have shorter whiskers that grow longer over time, mature whisker length varies according to breed.

Longer haired cats like the Maine Coon tend to have longer whiskers than short-haired or hairless breeds. In fact, the world record for the longest cat whiskers was awarded to Missi, a Maine Coon cat from Finland that had whiskers measuring seven-and-a-half inches long , according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Cats have conical or tapered whiskers that are narrower at the tip than the base. Research shows that this shape provides more accurate information about the environment, allowing cats greater mobility and more accurate movements in their surroundings than other mammals such as harbor seals that have cylindrical whiskers 1.

Cats do shed their whiskers. While shedding is a natural process and the hairs do grow back, excessive whisker loss or breakage might be a sign of a medical issue.