When she adopted Bug from her local rescue centre, the staff told her that the cat's whiskers had been cut.
The rescue team believe Bug's whiskers were cut with scissors, so by human "intervention"...
Sensitive whiskers
Whiskers are extremely important for a cat's life and development. In fact, whiskers are far more sensitive than the rest of their fur. Whisker follicles are filled with blood vessels and nerves: they're as sensitive as human fingertips!
Thanks to their whiskers, cats find their balance and can "see" objects just under their nose. Finally, the position and movement of whiskers communicate the cat's emotions to those watching.
They reassure her
The young woman plans to take Bug to the vet to rule out any medical issues following the loss of his whiskers. For now, she's still observing to see if this might affect Bug's behaviour.
Fortunately, Reddit users commented in droves on the post, reassuring Bug's human: whiskers can grow back. It takes between six weeks and three months for a cat's whiskers to reach the length needed to be fully functional.
Indeed, one comment reads: "*They will grow back, but from my experience, he might be a bit confused while they're growing... Cats receive a lot of important sensory information through their whiskers, and he might be more cautious or less active due to the lack of sensory input.*" We hope Bug's whiskers grow back as quickly as possible!
