is it bad to trim a cats whiskers?

Answer 1

yes don't do that

Answer 2

Is there a reason you want to trim the cat's whiskers? It really is not necessary to do it. If they got clipped off by accident, not a problem as they do grow back.

Cats' whiskers serve several functions:

1. Whisker tips help a cat to ensure it doesn't get into spaces too small for it.
2. Whiskers can tell the cat if it is getting too close to objects around them.
3. Whiskers are highly sensitive and when the wind or a breeze blows, they can sense the direction. This allows them to move down-wind when they are hunting.

I'm sure there are other reasons for them other than these 3 I've mentioned. I think these 3 are the most important to the cat though.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

YES! DON'T DO THAT! Here is why: Cat whiskers - what are cat whiskers for

Cat whiskers are yet another example of nature's efficiencies. Cats usually have 24 whiskers, twelve (2 rows of 6) on each side of it's face. They are thicker than ordinary hairs and root through the skin attaching to a highly packed cluster of nerve endings. Extremely sensitive to air movement and pressure, whiskers can detect an object's presence from a distance, acting like radar. This is especially useful in low light when a mouse runs through the room, moving the air ever so slightly.

Whisker notes

Do not cut or trim whiskers - It will hinder one of your cat's 'sensing' abilities.
If a whisker falls out, don't worry another will grow in its place.
Cats have similar types of thicker hairs that act like whiskers, above their eyes and on the backs of their front legs.
Whiskers are good for determining the size of objects (holes/tunnels) your cat can crawl through safely without getting stuck.

Answer 4

Yes. Cats use their whiskers for some very important things. They usually grow in proportion to the cat's body so that if it tries to get into a small space, it can feel it's whiskers brush the opening and it knows it may get stuck. They also use their whiskers to sense air currents, which I think helps with their balance and sense of direction, I'm not too sure though. I have heard that it can be pretty stressful on a cat to have their whiskers trimmed.

Answer 5

Yes it is,
Like all animals, cats have a blind-spot (horses eyes only come into focus when an object is at least 4 feet away - they rely on the whickers around their muzzle for the close-up stuff - like food)
Cats need their whiskers and the length is usually relative to the size of the cat. Cut them and the danger is sometimes too clse for them to avoid injury.
The whisker itself is rooted to a fine sharp point that rests on a nerve ending...the other end tapers to a soft flexible point that allows for a subtle message. If you cut this off the whisker looses it 'early warning' system and the 'blunt' message is also lot more painful.
Hope this helps

Answer 6

OK I am not even going to ask why you would want to trim your cat's whiskers. You should not do that because it allows the cat to be able to balance and determine if an area is to small for them to fit in.

Answer 7

Yes, it would be bad. It's how they sense what's around them -- sort of like "feelers" that tell them things they need to know about their environment. It would put them severely off balance to trim their whiskers. It's not like a person's moustache that keeps growing and growing without intervention -- the whiskers grow as long as they need to be and then the growth stops. They are a necessary part of the cat's anatomy. If you trim them off it's not even a guarantee that they will grow back. Don't trim them, leave them alone.

Answer 8

Yes it's a bad thing to cut a cat's whiskers. They rely on them for feeling their way around obstacles and such. Whiskers are a kind of "curb feeler" for cats. If you cut them you'll find they may seem unsure or disoriented and may bump into things more frequently.

Answer 9

Yes, it's bad. Cats use their whiskers to feel the sides of walls and even to feel movement in the air. It helps them "see" when it's dark and they are in tight places.

Why would you want to trim their whiskers anyway? They only grow to a certain length and no further, and they are much less likely to fall out than regular fur.

Answer 10

A cat's whiskers help them to measure how big a space is and if they can fit through it. If you trimmed them, the cat would think that a small space was big enough to fit through and they would get stuck. My advice is to leave the whiskers just the way they are. Thanks for voicing your concern!

Answer 11

Yes. They use their whiskers to navigate and feel. They are very sensitive and are part of the cat's nervous system. Any damage to his whiskers will cause your cat discomfort, and he may become confused or disoriented. Even a small clip is BAD. That's like saying it's okay to cut off the tips of your fingers.