Whisker loss in cat

Our question this week was:

My cat is a Persian around ten years old. She is losing her whiskers, not all at once, but I find some in the house where she sleeps. Is this normal?

Eileen Schneider

Answer

Hi – thanks for your email. You emailed that your cat is loosing her whiskers – not all at once, but you find some around the house where she sleeps.

Whiskers, are also known as “tactile hairs” or vibrissae, are located in rows on the “whisker pad”, or the area between a cats mouth and the edge of his nose. Whiskers are long thick hairs. Losing a whisker is not uncommon as cats will shed their whiskers normally. When whiskers fall out, they will be replaced.

An article that might be helpful to you is on our Petplace.com is “Structure and Function of Whiskers in Cats”

Best of luck!

Dr. Debra

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