It can be alarming if you’re cat’s whiskers start to fall out, but read this before you rush to the vet.
Is it normal for a cat’s whiskers to fall out? It started with one whisker on the living room carpet. Then two more popped up on my bed. I was more than slightly alarmed.
As a chronically anxious cat parent, I’m usually finding something to worry about. Misha’s whiskers falling out was just one more thing to add to my list. Thankfully, I found out the truth about cat whiskers, which I would in turn like to pass on to you.
Is It Normal For A Cat’s Whiskers To Fall Out?
Yes, actually. I didn’t know this before, but cat’s whiskers are hair: they’re constantly growing, shedding and re-growing. I honestly thought they were a permanent sort of thing, or that they would regrow only when one was pulled out.
Unlike human hair, however, cats don’t have fewer whiskers with age. The only change you’ll see is a bit of graying or lightening as your cat gets older.
Does It Hurt For A Cat’s Whiskers To Fall Out?
Fall out, no. It does hurt when they are pulled out or clipped. It’s less painful than having hair pulled out, but it’s still quite uncomfortable. For humans, the equivalent is having your eyelashes pulled out. While it doesn’t feel very good, the pain is minimal.
Is This Type Of Whisker Loss Healthy?
A few whiskers falling out now and then won’t do your cat any harm. In fact, it’s good and means that your cat is regenerating whiskers as they grow out.
Picture a grass lawn. It starts to look a bit unhealthy if you let it grow too long, but ripping it all out will leave it bare. Cats shed their whiskers two or three at a time, so there’s always a certain amount present. This natural biological function ‘keeps the grass trimmed’, so to speak.
How Many Whiskers Can A Cat Lose Before It’s Unhealthy?
If you find that your cat is losing his or her whiskers while these other symptoms are present, it may be time to visit your vet:
- Weight loss
- Lethargy
- Skin problems/allergies
Because cat’s whiskers are actually special hairs, whisker loss can occur along with other hair loss, which may be a sign of underlying illness.
Caring For Your Cat’s Whiskers
The best thing you can do for your feline friend is to leave their whiskers alone. If you find that their whiskers are falling out, monitor how many whiskers they’re losing – NEVER TRIM THEM OR PULL THEM OUT.
If you still aren’t sure if your cat’s whisker loss is normal, take them in to the vet, just to be safe. It’s better to be overly cautious than neglectful.
Do you have more questions about your cat’s whiskers? Leave your question in the comments below, and we’ll do our best to answer!
(Disclaimer: The author of this blog is not a licensed professional of any sort, other than having a Bachelor’s Degree in English. Advice given on this blog should not be taken in lieu of actual medical advice from a veterinarian.)
It’s totally normal for us cats to lose a whisker occasionally. In fact, our mom keeps them when she finds them. She’s weird like that.
Yeah, I panicked a bit when I first saw a whisker laying about! I’m glad to know now that moderate whisker loss is normal. 🙂 What does your meowmy keep the whiskers for? Maybe it’s a spare set. 😉
I freaked the first time I found a whisker! Haha! My cat, or course, just looked at me like I was crazy ?
My cats always look at me crazy, but that’s mostly because I always act crazy. haha
Glad to know i am not the only crazy cat mom😽
You are by no means the only crazy cat mom! There’s plenty of us out here. 😛
I see whiskers every now and then on the floor or couch and I have wondered if it was normal. Thanks for the great information!
Yep, you can rest easy. Thanks for stopping by! <3
Good to know that if I find a whisker I don’t have to show up at the vet’s office like a crazy cat momma! My cat started losing hair on its leg once and I was paranoid my cat had anxiety. Turns out he was just getting bit by ants on the patio and having an allergic reaction, some benadryl and spraying for ants solved that. Poor kitty.
Aw, poor kitty! I’m glad he’s better now. We have ants on our patio as well, but I don’t know if they’ve been biting either of my cats. At least I’ll know what’s going on now if the same thing happens to Misha or Tippy!
My cat is 15 years old, and have noticed all of his whiskers are gone, with only 3 short nubs on one side of his nose. He seems fine otherwise. What could cause this?
Hmm, I’m not sure what would cause total whisker loss. I would consult your vet on that one. There might be a health reason, or it may be just age.
Thank you for this. I always panic where my baby is concerned. She has lost 3 this month. It is the first time it has happened. Panic time. I read this article and it instantly eased my mind. Thank you so much.
You’re welcome! I totally understand the panic. I was a very nervous cat owner (okay, I still am) when I first got my babies, and seeing their whiskers fall out was a bit unnerving. I’m glad this article could help ease your mind. 🙂
My kitten has very short whiskers like they break off is this normal
Having whiskers fall out from time to time is normal, but I’m not sure about whiskers “breaking off”. Do they break off if you touch them? Like, are they brittle? I would ask your veterinarian about that. Brittle whiskers sound like they could be a health issue.
My cat lost all her whiskers should I be worried
I would take her in to the vet. Although some whisker loss is normal (whiskers grow, fall out, then regrow), losing all her whiskers is not. This is something that you would need to talk with your vet about.
Do cat whiskers still twitch shortly after falling out?
Hi, Victoria. I’m not sure what you mean by ‘twitch’. Could you elaborate?
Is it bad to stick the fallen whisker back into your cat? Or even to stick it on yourself?
Apologies for the late reply, but sticking the whisker back in won’t do any good and will be very uncomfortable (possibly painful) for your cat. It’s much like a hair that falls off the human head. Once it’s out, it’s out, and it will either grow back or the hair follicle will remain dormant. If you have concerns that your cat is losing too many whiskers, please contact your veterinarian. They will be able to help!
Hey there thank you for this post. I have two cats with identical whiskers and I found 6 in a 3 week period, but they both have a full face of whiskers and I wouldn’t have noticed of i didn’t find them.