Why are my cat’s whiskers curling?
Have you recently looked at your cat and wondered why they have curly whiskers? They are a very unique feature on a cat and you may at first think something is wrong. However, there are many reasons for cats to have curly whiskers and you may be surprised at a few of them.
Their Breed
Your cat may have curly whiskers because of its breeding. If your cat has curly hair they more than likely have curly whiskers as well. This is not always the case, however, it seems to happen more often than not.
Cat Breeds that are known for curly whiskers
- Cornish Rex
- Devon Rex
- LaPerm
- Selkirk Rex
There are no large domestic house cats that have curly whiskers.
They like to rub on things “Whisker Fatigue”
Do you notice your cat rubbing on things a lot? If so this may be a reason that they have curly whiskers. My friend’s cat was a victim of his own rubbing. He really enjoyed rubbing on everything, from the sofa to the edge of the wall. If it was in front of him, he rubbed on it.
After they had him for a few months they noticed that one of his whiskers had started to curl. They eventually bought a comb that they could put on the corner of the wall and that seemed to solve the problem. However, this may not work for your cat so let’s dive deeper into what “Whisker Fatigue” is.
What is “Whisker Fatigue”
Whisker fatigue (whisker stress) is due to the overuse of your cat’s whiskers. You may be picturing your cat rubbing against everything you own right now, but that is not always the cause.
Some things that can cause Whisker Fatigue and Curly Whiskers
- A hight sided food or water bowl (the most common cause of “Whisker Fatigue”)
- Cat bedding
- Rubbing against everything you own
They got to close to something hot
Cats are curious by nature and because of this, they tend to get into things they shouldn’t. One of my cats who has now passed on was good about not getting into things. Until one day she got too close to my candle and caught on fire. She was fine, her fur was a bit singed and her whiskers curled up but that was the extent of the damage.
After a few months, her whiskers fell out and were back to normal. She showed no signs of distress from having her whiskers curled.
Don’t forget to check out:
Your Cats is aging
Though it can be hard to admit that your furry friend is getting older, this is a reason you may notice that your cat’s whiskers are starting to curl. This could be caused by them rubbing themselves more or because their eyesight is starting to decline and they are rubbing against other things more. If you feel age may be the reason for curling whiskers on your cat you may want to have their eyes checked.
Why it’s nothing to worry about.
If you do notice your cat has curly whiskers or just one curly whisker you need to remember it’s normal unless they got into something or near something hot. If they are not curly because of their breed the whisker will eventually fall out and return to normal. Your cat will use its other whiskers to make up for the “strange one” until the curly one falls out.
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