In fact, long-haired cats that receive close grooming routinely have their whiskers cut as part of trimming the face. However, it can take 2-3 months for a full set of whiskers to grow out so it will not happen soon. Hi. Caring for (not cutting) kitty’s whiskers. Whatever you do, don’t trim or pluck a cat’s whiskers. "The whiskers will grow back in a couple of months, and the actual cutting of them isn't painful because they don't have nerve endings in [the whiskers themselves]," Dr. Leonie Richards, associate professor and head vet of general practice at the University of Melbourne, tells Science Daily. At the end of a cats whiskers are something called a proprioceptor which sends tactile feedback to the nervous system and brain, so they rely on their whiskers for information such as body position and limb positions. Just as the phrase “made it by a whisker” is used to describe a stroke of good fortune, the feline hair filaments also help cats preserve their nine lives by keeping them out of precarious situations—and contribute to their adorable appearances. WebMD Feature Reviewed by Amy Flowers, DVM on March 18, 2014. Cat whiskers are believed to be good luck, according to folklore. Neither cat came to any harm, the whiskers and eyebrows all eventually fell out and new ones grew in. Narrow bowls can be uncomfortable if they cause the whiskers to bend and flex excessively. My cat has damaged his eye and fluid has been running out (he’s been to the vet and gotten drops) so the fluid has “glued” some of his “eyebrow”-whiskers to his eye.. he won’t wash it because his eye hurt so I was thinking about cutting them of to make sure they didn’t cause more pain but now I’m thinking I shouldn’t… Most whiskers are long and straight, but some cat breeds with unusual fur also have unusual whiskers, like Devon Rex and Cornish Rex cats, which often have short kinked or curly whiskers. Bottom line: whiskers should never be trimmed, shaved, dyed, or curled. Some cats have longer whiskers than others and some have more. “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. Sources. Never trim or pull out whiskers. I took my two cats (1 is 1 1/2 and the other 2 1/2 to groomer 6 days ago. They fall out and regrow in a staggered pattern, but they will indeed regrow, just like any other hair that is cut. A cat with cut whiskers will become disoriented and scared. Again I am not a vet and you should confirm my statements with other vets on AskVet and through your own research. The younger (and smaller cat) accidentally had whiskers cut on one side. When I got cats home, they began to hiss at each … read more (H/T: The Mercury News) They won’t die if their whiskers are cut off, but it would be like having the tips of your fingers cut off and not being able to feel the texture of anything. Whisker Care. My sister remained a scissor fiend for many years, cutting her own hair, my hair, dolly's hair, curtain tiebacks etc- but never touched the cats again! Typical Cat Whiskers Whiskers are not the same for every cat. As you can see, whiskers are extremely important for cats. The nerves at their roots are highly sensitive, and it can be uncomfortable for the animal to have them trimmed. Food and water bowls for cats need to be designed with sensitive whiskers in mind. As such, if you cut your cat ‘s whiskers off, they are more likely to bump into things and have a difficult time getting around. !