# Cat's whiskers igo in older cats? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 22, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-whiskers-igo-in-older-cats/565120 "2010-12-22T21:04:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-whiskers-igo-in-older-cats/565120/1 "2010-12-22T21:04:02Z")
My two Bengal cats are almost 14 years old now. One still has a luxuriant batch of whiskers, but the the other guy’s whiskers are breaking off or dropping out. Some have broken in half, but still there. I’d guess he has about half of his original growth. He is healthy and active, but can’t help wonder if this is doe to old age, or perhaps some other problem? Anybody know? ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-whiskers-igo-in-older-cats/565120/2 "2010-12-23T03:15:38Z")
I do not believe that losing whiskers is normal in a cat’s old age. Loss of whiskers can be due to normal shedding, illness, or if they’re losing weight too quickly. But in this case, your other cat could be eating his whiskers (someone else posted a thread here stating that this was happening with their cats–can’t find it at the moment though). Does your full-whiskered cat regularly groom your broken-whiskered cat? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2010, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-whiskers-igo-in-older-cats/565120/3 "2010-12-23T10:09:24Z")
It’s weird that it’s happening all of a sudden, but my male cat has no whiskers for the reason **rachelellogram** suggests - his sister gnaws them off when she aggressively licks him. If it’s bothering you, maybe call the vet. My cat doesn’t seem to have any adverse effect. He’s weird, but then he’s a cat. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-whiskers-igo-in-older-cats/565120/4 "2010-12-23T17:12:41Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > It’s weird that it’s happening all of a sudden, but my male cat has no whiskers for the reason **rachelellogram** suggests - his sister gnaws them off when she aggressively licks him. If it’s bothering you, maybe call the vet. My cat doesn’t seem to have any adverse effect. He’s weird, but then he’s a cat. That’s interesting, but neither cat grooms the other. Maybe he is eating his own whiskers…is that possible? ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-whiskers-igo-in-older-cats/565120/5 "2010-12-23T21:43:04Z")
I don’t know, I have never heard of that but IANAVeterinarian! It seems like it would be really really hard for a cat to get its own whisker in its mouth just from looking at them, though. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-whiskers-igo-in-older-cats/565120/6 "2010-12-23T22:00:11Z")
Maybe not eating, but aggressively cleaning? How are the rest of his whiskers? I mean the one on the cheeks, chin, forehead, and perhaps arms. Are they mostly intact? ---
**Author:** ![Daerlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Daerlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daerlyn)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-whiskers-igo-in-older-cats/565120/7 "2010-12-24T03:21:15Z")
I’ve seen cats break their own whiskers off by aggressively rubbing their faces against furniture and the like. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-whiskers-igo-in-older-cats/565120/8 "2010-12-24T18:37:58Z")
> [@Daerlyn](#): > > I’ve seen cats break their own whiskers off by aggressively rubbing their faces against furniture and the like. This may be it. He doe not do that too much, but he does vigorously wash behind his ears and his face. I do notice his eyebrows and other hairs are OK and as usual. Odd, won’t worry as long as he is still vigorous, just wondered.