Why Do Cat Moms Bite Off Kittens' Whiskers?

10.01.2023 14:27

This behavior of an adult cat may seem strange at first glance.

But the explanation is quite simple. The whole point is that in this way the animal tries to take care of its offspring.

It is important to take into account that whiskers are responsible for orientation in space.

As a result, the kittens try to explore the world and move away from their mother, but at the same time they cannot yet feed themselves or even move normally.

This only creates additional problems for the cat, who cannot keep track of the kittens if there are many of them.

Kitty
Photo: © Belnovosti

For this reason, to keep all of her babies close, a mother cat may bite off the kittens' whiskers.

Ultimately, this simplifies the process of monitoring and caring for her offspring.

Over time, kittens' whiskers grow back. This means that when they grow up a little, they will be able to explore the world on their own with the cat's permission.

Olga Kotova Author: Olga Kotova Internet resource editor