UhBellJul 13, 2023

YSK: Cats don't like their whiskers touching their food bowl. This is why they beg even if food is still left at the bottom.

https://lemmy.world/post/1430679

YSK: Cats don't like their whiskers touching their food bowl. This is why they beg even if food is still left at the bottom. - Lemmy.world

Whisker fatigue causes stress and overstimulates their senses. Using a flat bowl or plate will relieve this issue and allow your cat to eat all their food without stress. You can also search for “whisker fatigue” bowls specifically made for cats. More info [https://www.petmd.com/care/whisker-fatigue-cats-what-it-and-how-help]

Show threadmarmo7adeJul 13, 2023

Not all feline vets think whisker fatigue is a real condition or cause for concern. Dr. Cathy Lund of City Kitty, a feline-only veterinary practice in Providence, R.I, questions the validity of whisker fatigue. While a cat’s whiskers do serve as very sensitive tactile sensors, she does not believe contact between whiskers and objects causes stress in cats.

Yea, me too. The article is based on inference and opinion. You actually have no idea what your cat thinks about whiskers touching the bowl.

That said, stress, for whatever reason, is a real issue of concern for cat owners and vets, Lund says.

No one is doubting this. The amount of stress this puts on that cat is what is doubted.

Show threadpizza_rolls

So far the only actual study we have on this says it's not a real thing. Sure, some cats have different preferences but it's not like you are torturing your cat with normal bowls and need to run out and buy special ones.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1098612X20930190

Jul 13, 2023 at 5:35pmWeb
Show threadramplayJul 13, 2023
As an ad libitum cat feeder, 0 issues so far. They eat when they’re hungry
Show threadpizza_rollsJul 13, 2023
It's well documented it veterinary literature, you can believe the studies or not 🤷‍♀️. It's not like it kills your cat instantly, you just deal with diabetes kidney or urinary issues in the future. Not sure why someone would not try to prevent that.