Blog
What is 'Whisker Stress'?
March 15, 2016

A cat’s whiskers, AKA vibrissae, are very sensitive and provide your cat with detailed sensory feedback about their environment. If those senses become over-stimulated, it may cause whisker stress, which can affect their eating habits.
Your cat may seem to be a finicky or picky eater, but in reality, it could be sensitive to its whiskers touching the sides of its bowl.
Some common signs of this sensitivity are:
- Scooping the food out of the bowl onto the floor
- Taking a few bites and walking away and then coming back
- Leaving the bottom or side layer of food in the bowl most of the time
A simple solution to reduce or eliminate whisker stress is to switch their food and water dishes to flatter, wider-style bowls. You can find many options of whisker-friendly cat bowls and dishes at our store for cats.