Cat’s whiskers breaking off on one side – what to do next

Whiskers serve a very important purpose for cats so it’s important to figure out what’s going on when your cat’s whiskers are breaking off but only on one side. The following may help explain why one side of the cat’s whiskers is missing.

Multiple cat households

Do you have more than one cat? One of your other cats could be chewing one side of the cat’s whiskers. There could be a number of reasons for this. Kittens, for example, may just be doing it as a playful gesture and it may eventually stop. Others might chew the whiskers of another cat if they are bored or stressed. Make sure your cats are getting plenty of social time. They need to be stimulated both mentally and physically.

Bumping into or rubbing against objects

Certain breeds of cats have whiskers that are more brittle when compared to other breeds. One side of the cat’s whiskers could be breaking off whenever your cat’s face comes into contact with a household object. It could also happen when your cat rubs its face against someone. Brittle whiskers can break off at the slightest of touches.

Health issues

There could be an underlying health problem that’s resulting in the sudden breakage of whiskers. Your cat, for example, could be experiencing itchiness on one side of the face due to issues like insect bites or allergies. The resulting inflammation may cause the whiskers to fall off from the affected side.

While it is normal for whiskers to break off, it shouldn’t to a point where they are falling off excessively. Have the cat checked by the vet if the cat isn’t acting normal. It also wouldn’t hurt to supplement your cat’s meals with pet multi-vitamins to keep the cat’s skin health in good shape.