Does it hurt if my cat’s whiskers get cut?

No, you won’t hurt your cat’s whiskers, or vibrissae, if they get accidentally cut. The whisker itself has no nerves or blood vessels but is firmly attached to a hair follicle and sinus, which has nerve innervation. (Ever accidentally yank out your nose hair? Ouch!) Your cat uses his whiskers as a sensing mechanism and air movement or vibrations allow him to “feel” where he is. You may notice your cat’s whiskers are the width of your cat (or your cat’s ideal weight, I should say), which evolutionarily allows your cat to fit through tight spaces and sense how much personal space he has around him. Please don’t cut those whiskers off – they are actually quite important to let him know how much room he has to wriggle!



Photo from Shawn's Kitty from Flicker!