Chloe sent me a question concerning cat whiskers that came in from a cat lover on our Facebook page. She wanted to know whether it was OK for her to trim her cat's whiskers or should she take her to the groomer.
Apparently she was concerned because she thought her cat looked like a "chia pet".
My answer; embrace the chia pet look and don't trim the whiskers. Here's why.
The cat's whiskers are specialized hairs that serve a very important sensory function. The anatomical name for whiskers is vibrissae and they are not your typical cat hair. They are much thicker than a normal hair and have a rich blood and nerve supply, and they are connected to muscle fibers so they move in many directions.
Vibrissae are found above the eyes, on the cheeks and muzzle, and even on the carpus (wrist) of the foreleg. The muzzle whiskers are the longest numbering 24 in all, twelve to a side, in four rows.
While cat's have great eyesight, the whiskers complement their ability to "see" and navigate, especially at night. The whiskers not only detect physical objects by feel, they are sensitive to small changes in air movement. Even the minor air disturbance created by a small rodent moving throught he darkness can be picked up by vibrissae. This ability if very helpful in successful hunting.
Cats can feel with the whiskers at night and avoid bumping into things. Imagine yourself walking through a dark room at night with your arms and hands extended in front of you and you'll understand how a cat's whiskers function. Interestingly, the longest whiskers approximate the body width of the cat and help them determine if they can squeeze through a tight opening without getting stuck.
The whiskers above the eye have a protective function. When they come into contact with something as the cat moves through the darkness the cat immediately shuts the eye. You can imagine how that prevents serious injury when a wild cat is moving through thick brush on the nightly hunt.
Cats move the whiskers forward when they move at night, but they pull them close to the face and back when eating or fighting. They push forward and out during sleep as an early warning system too.
Understanding their function helps us understand why it's not a good idea to trim a cat's whiskers. They would grow back, and cats do shed whiskers normally like other hairs, but they are important tools your cat uses to stay safe and gather important information about the world around him.
Embrace the whiskers.