Curly cat whiskers are not very common so it may become a concern for the cat parents, but don’t worry. Wise Kitten is here to help you out!
Some cats have curly cat whiskers since kittenhood and some others develop curly whiskers later in their lives and most cat parents ask the same question: “Why are my cat’s whiskers curling?” There are several reasons for a cat’s whiskers to curl and let me relieve you from the beginning. This is nothing to worry about but it is important to understand the reasons behind curly cat whiskers.
First of all you should understand how important whiskers are because they play a vital role in a cat’s daily life. Whiskers help cats measure distances to check if they would fit in a tight spot or to calculate if they can jump somewhere safely.
They also help cats understand the location of a close by object and react accordingly because contrary to general belief, cats can not clearly focus on anything closer than a foot. Pay attention to your cat’s whiskers next time you play with a cat toy fishing rod. You will see that its whiskers will be bent forward as the toy comes closer to its face. This is to sense the object and react accordingly.
Another function of the whiskers is about the basic survival of the kitty. Cats hunt at dark, use their whiskers to sense where their prey is because they do not see as well in the dark as you may think. They still see a lot better than us but their secret is using their whiskers to feel even the slightest movements in the environment.
For further information on why cats have whiskers you may visit this page. I am sure you will learn a lot of interesting facts about your little feline friend. Now, back to the curly whiskers!
Cat Breeds With Curly Whiskers
There are some breeds of curly haired cats that have natural curly whiskers. Although there are individual exceptions in every breed, generally these breeds have curly whiskers:
- Selkirk Rex,
- LaPerm,
- Devon Rex,
- Cornish Rex.
You don’t need to and should not do anything about their curly cat whiskers. It is just how they are. They don’t try to cut your hands off because they don’t look like their paws, do they? Well… Some of them may try to cut them off by scratching… 😸
Rubbing the Face Against Things
We all have seen cats rubbing their faces to people, furniture, walls, etc. This is a natural behavior for cats to spread their scents to mark whatever is theirs. Some cats also show this behavior when they are excited or wish your attention. If a cat does this often and uses relatively more pressure during rubbing process, its whiskers may curl up.
This is not a very common thing but it may happen. This is just like curling human hairs. Pull your hair long enough with the right amount of force and you will see that your hair will curl. So basically the same principle applies here.
These curled whiskers may get straight again, stay curled or shed. Whatever the case is, don’t interfere. DON’T PULL, PLUCK OR CUT YOUR CAT’S WHISKERS! This is one of the worst things you can do to a cat. You may find out why in this page.
Getting Close to Something Hot
Just like the famous saying “curiosity kills the cat”, curiosity may curl a cat’s whiskers. Cat whiskers may look thick and sturdy, be extremely sensitive and may have a lot of functions but in the end they are hairs. Getting too close to hot things may burn or curl cats’ whiskers.
Cats naturally shed their whiskers from time to time and if their whiskers are burnt or curled due to getting close to hot things, they will shed it and grow a new one.
Having Long Whiskers
Some cats have longer whiskers than others. Not all cats with long whiskers have curly cat whiskers but depending on the individual, longer whiskers may curl up. This is not a disease or a health concern so leave them as they are.
Aging
Some kitties may start to have curly cat whiskers as they age because the whiskers get thinner and weaker as the cat gets older and as a result they may start curling up. I think they look cute but as a father of two cats I must admit that seeing my kitties get older breaks my heart a little bit.
Summary
Curly cat whiskers are nothing to worry about no matter which of the above reason(s) cause it. What you should keep in mind is that you should not cut or damage the whiskers in any other way. Although they grow back, your cat will definitely experience hardships until the whiskers grow back. Please do not torture your little friends.
