Should your cat be worried about Whisker Stress?

[@jeffreyschweitzer8289]

I don’t think Mr Pirate knows what stress is

[@LashknifeTalon]

It never ceases to amaze me how willing Mr. Pirate is to be shoved around and used as a prop; I don't get the sense he's EAGER, but he's certainly willing to tolerate it without protest.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

I try hard to make it so.

[@reginaromsey]

Mr Pirate has moved from Australia to Canada and moved several times there. He has had his beloved pet URI being very ill for weeks. Mr Pirate is simply very strong in his cat of the world.

[@ginnyjollykidd]

@@reginaromsey And aptly named!

[@MrJohansson14]

hahaha =D

[@monster3339]

i feel like ive been seeing people post about "whisker fatigue" more and more and i link this video every time lmao. thank you so much for this.

[@unboundbytiffany]

Omg love the feeders! Wish I could find one for wet food that would only allow a specific cat access as my babies are on different special needs food. 😫

[@kathleensmith9813]

I have a feeder that only opens up when the cat's microchip matches

[@unboundbytiffany]

@@kathleensmith9813 yess love that so much. Now of they could make it wet food friendly somehow. Lol! Someday

[@kathleensmith9813]

@@unboundbytiffany mine does wet food. It was about $150 I think. Can't remember the name

[@unboundbytiffany]

@@kathleensmith9813 what?? It stores the wet food and keeps it from going bad and portions etc as well as the microchip feature?? Holy crap that's worth the $150. If you find the brand please please lmk. Thats a neeed in this house of chaos lol!

[@alessazoe]

@@unboundbytiffany I’m using the ones from "sure petcare", each cat has their own feeder, only opens for the specific cat and closes when another cat tries to stick their head in. works like a charm to make sure everyone gets their special diet or not too much/too little food, meds etc.

[@velvetnightmare3133]

I tried a shallow bowl when I heard about "whisker fatigue." I think she responded well to it... but yea my guess was that it was a marketing tactic too

[@FahimehNamileh]

I see a cat and my heart melts … I want one… 😢

[@jaimesroe]

I'm sure you appreciate that this study provides a good basis for saying that most cats don't experience whisker stress. It does not prove that it doesn't exist at all. Some cats do seem to dislike certain things touching them, and that includes whiskers. I know 2 cats who are very specific about how they like to be touched, and will act like they're going to rub up against you, but never actually touch you. They aren't siblings, but could be related as they come from the same area. They do some odd little things to avoid certain sensations. One of those weird things is not eating out of a bowl. They will knock over food dishes with sides to get what's in there. They will eat off of plates. No special dish necessary. A 40-cat study is not a big enough sample size to say that no cats experience whisker stress or other types of tactile stress. I think a very few do. There could also be varying degrees of it in certain populations. If you want to prove it likely doesn't exist, you need to start with cats whose owners report that they have whisker stress in one group, and then a control group.

[@cecilian5591]

The deadpanned 'I'm not ashamed of who I am' is a spirit I would carry with me to my grave as I sing special food songs for my cat... and grooming songs... and teeth brushing songs...

[@MrOnionterror]

I sing 'Beans Beans Beans, Beansy Beans' to the A Team theme tune.

[@cecilian5591]

@@MrOnionterror I need to hear it. I never thought I needed to hear this but I need to hear this.

[@FeenieVonKarma]

I saw a fantastic tweet that said, the notion of "crazy cat lady" being deemed a bad thing is the biggest lie we've been sold in the past few years. Because pretty much every "crazy cat lady" has been the most deeply satisfied person.

[@cecilian5591]

@@FeenieVonKarma If we're content and chilled out with our cats then they can't pressure us to buy things to be 'happy'.

[@mareksicinski3726]

?

[@circuitsalsa]

Genuinely appreciate following you through your 'silly' literature review - if you're willing to make short comment videos on interesting articles or highlight authors people should check out, this was fun and informative

[@smswiere]

I completely agree!! Please do more of these lit reviews!

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Happy to hear this feedback, this was really fun to do.

[@avis8885]

Agreed! I thought whisker stress was real, having heard about it several times online and never looked into it myself. I’m glad to have the myth busted.

[@catreader9733]

I thoroughly enjoy the slightly silly videos and the strictly informative videos. There is always good humor and information in both.

[@paintedwings74]

@@HelpfulVancouverVet, what are the whiskers behind the legs / ankle area meant to detect? And of course there's a food song. It's Jacob's favorite song, he prances when he hears it, and leads me on a joyful processional to his bowl, looking back frequently if there's any delay. Monster gets her own verse, just so she knows she's not been left out.

[@mirjanbouma]

"besides potentially the best part of a cat" I get your point, good sir, but may I offer a counterpoint: the toe beans.

[@deanagallatin6974]

Yep toe beans rank pretty high on the cuteness scale

[@ruthbaker5281]

No, it’s the nosey, especially if it’s a pink nosey. Pink nosies are very boobable.

[@catreader9733]

The darker tan noses with the faint black outline beg to be booped, too. At my house we have been conducting a long-term, totally unscientific, empirical study of booping the noses on two brown tabby cats whose noses are the darker color with an outline. Several hypotheses are nearing conclusion. 1. Such noses are extremely boopable. 2. The human enjoys the action much more than the cats. 3. When the booper exercises restraint in frequency and is always gentle, the subject cats learn to accept booping as a part of living in our household.

[@caitrionamcgee114]

Toe beans are fabulous, but eclipsed, in my opinion, by the lengthy floofs sometimes found between them on particularly special cats. Also, puggage - the region known on humans as the tummy. Irresistibly soft and fluffy, especially when it's warm and slightly damp from a particularly curly and deep nap. Is there really anything more adorable?

[@deanagallatin6974]

@@ruthbaker5281 yesss ...pink nosies, so cute. I have two of those with the dark edging. Do you boop with your nosie or with an index finger. I am nosie to nosie booper.

[@bblvrable]

Anyone who has found their cat with their head jammed into a Pringles tube probably guessed what the result of this study was going to be early on. My cats eat no more (and no less) if I feed them food on a flat plate or a deep bowl. The only difference is that if I feed them food on a flat plate, a quarter of it winds up on the floor.

[@Sharon-pb7so]

I use a flat saucer on top of a bowl. I have a cute cat feeding station, it works great because if the bowl is half empty the cats will think I'm starving then to death, and everyone knows how that goes. 🙄 At supper time they get wet food and I use plates for that but put them on the floor, they know if they put a paw on the plate that they can lick it clean and not have to chase it all over the kitchen.

[@paintedwings74]

A bowl makes it harder for another cat to take their food, too! From a shallow dish, they can slide in beside. From a bowl, they have to shove the current user out of place in order to steal the food.

[@samanthasprague9715]

Dr. Uri Burstyn is an international treasure and must be protected at all costs.

[@RJH_LIL]

"I'm not ashamed of who I am" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣💀💀💀💀💀. You do you my fellow cat loving friend. 👍👍👍

[@InfiniteAnvil]

I love how obvious it is from Mr Pirate's face just how much he adores you

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

About as much as I adore him :-)

[@donnabaardsen5372]

Yes! I'm more popular with my cat daughter, than with any human. And it's mutual 😽

[@shroomyk]

For real it gets me every time and I almost cry.

[@FeenieVonKarma]

It's truly a beautiful thing to see 🥲

[@jakual339]

I began to have my doubts about whisker stress when I noticed my cat's favourite thing to drink out of was my water cup... reaching into which requires that she smoosh her entire face (and whiskers) into a narrow opening.

[@150mcl150]

My cats do the same thing! Although they prefer a mug

[@ivahlana]

Think they'd try shoving down their face inside a test tube if given the chance. XD

[@jwenting]

@@ivahlana they stick their noses into bottles if the opening is wide enough...

[@deanagallatin6974]

I have a tortie who does this and when it's empty, she knocks the plastic cup off the table..

[@erink476]

that's *your* water 'bowl' so clearly it's the best one.

[@amydebuitleir]

My food song is: "Nummies! Nummies! Kitty breakfast is now being served in the kitty breakfast nook! Lovingly prepared to meet your nutritional and medical needs!" In the evening, "kitty dinner" is served in the "kitty formal dining room". The breakfast nook and formal dining room are co-located.

[@micheleparker8123]

😂🤣

[@claudiamiller7730]

Dear Doc: I must tell you that I am so tickled that I share the same name with your wonderfully smooshie little girl, Clawdia …and that apparently I’ve been spelling my name wrong these past 70 years……..hugs and kitty kisses to all of you!!

[@catreader9733]

Best part of a cat? Whiskers, toe beans, nosies, tail tips, paws, belly fur (if you're fortunate), ears, cheeks, wide eyes, drooping eyelids, closed eyes, the whole lovely fur coat, and those oh so mobile ears. I think it must be the whole cat.

[@JustAnotherShopaholic]

Agree

[@IntrepidFraidyCat]

Yup! 😻

[@impunitythebagpuss]

I believe you are correct!

[@Honeypot833]

My cat seemed to be leaving a portion of his food behind & I saw a thing a whiisker stress. We tried 2 different dishes & he's eating better now. But it's most likely that Rocky had 9-10 teeth removed because of abcesses. Rocky was an adult rescue.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Yeah, I suspect it was the dental care!

[@helmaschine1885]

1:52 Best cat dad ever! Love the comedic timing of the skit.

[@harrodsfan]

Comical is the word you want.

[@paintedwings74]

@@harrodsfan help me understand your objection? The definition of both words is nearly identical, with several dictionaries holding the same "of or relating to comedy" so you must be focused on denotation rather than definition. I've always heard "comedic" in reference to the timing of a comedian. Comical, referring to something that provokes laughter, mirth, or humor, has a stronger denotation toward actions or appearance. I think "comedic timing" is a more appropriate word choice. However, it is a word choice, not in need of correction either way.

[@mattd6085]

@@harrodsfan Comedic timing is perfectly suitable, and it is also something you may never have

[@TheCatWorshipper]

"The other cat's food is better." I thought that was so funny. I thought only my two cats did that. Fed the same food, they switch dishes halfway through.

[@waltersobchak7275]

When I was a young man I used to want to be like Tony Montana. Now that I’m so much older I strive to be someone like you doc. Not a doc but a great all around human being. A real class act.

[@user-bs8cw2jl6x]

You are still a young gentleman good squire and a young soul indeed! Cheers from north Korea!

[@JoeBob79569]

I think the idea probably came about more so because of the way cats stare at a half empty bowl as if they haven't been fed in 5 years, and people think that the cat doesn't want to stick their head down too far into the bowl, or whatever.. When in reality I think cats (at least mine) always like to leave a bit of food in the bowl for later, no matter how much or little you give them. And if they're complaining it's more like _"I want to eat this now, but I also want to leave more there for later in case you forget about me.."_

[@cursedcookies]

I have a hoover vaccuum for a cat. Nothing gets left behind, I'm surprised the bowl stays intact.

[@veramae4098]

Story from WW 2: The U.S. general in charge of a refugee camp for children (separated from parents) had to solve a problem. The kids were very restless at night, even getting up and roaming around. A slice of bread was ordered for every child just before bedtime. Kids grabbed it and hung on, slept peacefully. They knew there'd be food in the morning.

[@JoeBob79569]

@@cursedcookies Yea, one of my cats is like this with chicken and wet food, but she still always leaves a bit of dry food in the bowl. I think the meat is just too delicious and she can't help herself!

[@JoeBob79569]

@@veramae4098 Damn, that's fascinating, and kind of sad.

[@meandkitty8387]

100% and it's also about the schedule. Mine wants to be fed once in the morning once in the evening, if I don't do it it means I have abandoned him :( even if the bowl is still full ahah

[@ambermay7032]

I was concerned if it was a whisker issue with the only cat I've owned that's had such an issue until I noticed he didn't care about dry food bowl shape but he liked a flat, shallow bowl for wet. After owning over a dozen cats in my life I noticed it comes down to their personal preference. Different shapes for different foods for different cats just like us humans do. Some are just more obvious in their choice than others. Thankyou for being a vet that stays up-to-date with info. I'm curious if the study done for my previous cat has made it as far as Canada. He had bone cancer in his back leg but the cancer was not attached to the bone. It was a first for cat bone cancers and every vet I've spoke to since knows of him. His name was Samson and it was about 7 years ago. He was a very special cat.

[@rabbit5000]

It's crazy that when I googled about this, the articles I saw convinced me that whisker fatigue was real. The top Google searches were not academic journals that conducted evidence-based tests, so I am very grateful you made a video on this! I hope it gets bumped up to the no.1 response when people google whisker fatigue!

[@darkwinter6028]

I have several highly-optimized whisker-stress proof bowls. They’re called plates. 😉

[@belmum1689]

Hi Uri its 4am from Australia I have a 8 month old cat called Treasure not only b/c she is a Treasure but its b/c she is ginger cat, she is very skittish when visitors visit.

[@BohemianScandalous]

The love in Mr Pirate’s eyes during the wrap up!!!

[@jacquelynpowell7964]

I'm releived to hear whisker stress isn't a thing, however it just seems to me that flater dishes are more comfortable for them to eat from.

[@vivenna]

It was the most adorable thing when Mr. Pirate got off the table, just to get into your lap and even buried his face in your side! I've never seen a cat before getting annoyed by something and then choosing to get even closer to that person. He adores you so incredibly much, it's absolutely heart warming! :)

[@marymayer4875]

It's VERY important to cats that people have a cat dish that is... full. 😛

[@donnabaardsen5372]

...and they're kept fat and happy 😁😸

[@_JoyceArt]

Ow, I always thought that flat nosed cats preferred shallow dishes. For that reason, even though all of my cats are of the pointy nosed persuasion, I also only use shallow food bowls. I even noticed that it’s easier for them to grab all of the morsels, even when it’s against the edge. I had no idea that there’s a myth floating around about whisker stress. I don’t have and never had a song for my cats to let them know it’s time to eat. Time to eat is when I walk to the chest of drawers that keeps the cat food and bowls, or anytime I walk or touch that piece of furniture. Or look at it, or use a bag that sounds similar to cat the treats bag.

[@elizabethclaiborne6461]

I use a plate. They like to eat together off one dish, like they did in the shelter cage. A plate let’s two cats easily do that, and clean it.

[@LouiesLog]

Did I just hear you rustle the food bag? Thought I should check just incase

[@jwenting]

I just say it's kibble time and they rush to where I store their food and wait (somewhat) patiently for me to show up.

[@curiousone2940]

My four cats have internal alarms that go off at feeding times. Believe me, there is no need to call them to meals!

[@barbarapaine8054]

Food song for cats: "Bump da da Dada dump It's kitty wet food time It's kitty wet food time It's kitty wet food time It's kitty wet food time..." For those old enough to remember the Howdy Doodie show

[@TheImpalaRider]

Thanks for doing a video on this! I was concerned about this when I had read about it. But I am glad it's all just a myth 😅

[@jwenting]

I do notice that my cats prefer dishes with lower rims. Or rather when using a lower rim, they eat all the food but when having a higher rim they leave some food in the area near the rim. Whether it's because of "whisker stress", the cats not being able to reach there, or whatever I don't know. All I know is that when switching to these flatter dishes they now eat all their food rather than leaving some along the edges and throwing more out of the dish. end result: I was able to reduce the amount of food served by a third almost without them going hungry.

[@cyberpunklain]

they probably just prefer lower rimmed bowls then 🤷 some cats (that dont have dietary issues) prefer raised bowls as well. its just different from cat to cat.

[@g.m.5395]

Cats head shape is usually shorter

[@unboundbytiffany]

You're the best! And pirate too

[@ameliab7818]

Just to clarify, the “clearly an intern” Dr. Jennifer Slovak, is a board certified internal medicine specialist

[@jenesisjones6706]

Ahhhh, the gullibility of the human race...lining the pockets of advertisers and companies since profit was born! 🤣

[@curiousone2940]

Thank God for inventers. Love the Capitalist system that incentivises creativity! That's just one think that makes America great. We can afford to be inventers and not copy cats.

[@frozenthirdyear]

Is there anything unusual to Mr. P twitching repeatedly when he was lying in your arms at the end of the video? Do cats just do that sometimes when they're super relaxed, or is it specific to senior kitties?

[@pseudonym7559]

I would also like to know. My senior kitty does the exact same facial twitch as 00:24

[@wildfireamv]

I'm so glad someone else noticed! I'd like to know too! My older cat had a serious medical condition a while back (unknown what it was) and I've noticed her doing this sometimes too

[@pseudonym7559]

@@wildfireamv Mine has hyperthyroidism, CKD and pancreatitis. No idea if it's feline hyperesthesia, partial seizure, or some kind of vitamin deficiency. She sees the vet often so hopefully anything serious can be caught.

[@Vimes78]

One of my cats also does this when she's loafing and relaxed. She's 14 but just had a check-up and everything was ok. I've always wondered about this twitching.

[@MegA-uh8yw]

Hi Dr. Uri! I was wondering if you could do a video on switching to pine pellets/wood pellets for cat litter instead of traditional clay? Do you see any harm in this different litter? Thank you!

[@AVspectre]

I’d love to see a note on that video of how to reduce little tracking! I am sweeping a couple times a day! Should I trim hair on the paw pad? Do any of the products/mats available actually work? I mean… he is only one cat!

[@kitchenboy69]

"I'm not Ashamed of who I am". -realest vet ever🤣🤣🤣

[@xFirebird925x]

Tbh if people are worried about whisker stress, all they have to do is go to any store that sell plates, and look for a small ceramic plate made for humans. They range from under 1 usd to 2 usd when on sale. In comparison, the "whisker stress free" ceramic plates for cats are around 6-8 usd and extremely overpriced. Pet products are a really lucrative business right now, and sometimes people forget that certain "pet products" can just be ordinary stuff found in your household.

[@elizabethclaiborne6461]

Cats seem to identify as families, as dogs do packs. Sharing food is a big part of it, mine ate out of one dish in the cat orphanage, they started that dish dance when I brought them home, so they get their food on one plate. Also why they charge into my food. They think we’re a family and all food is shared. I’m just a big clumsy cat who can magically open cans to them.

[@curiousone2940]

I think it often just comes down to how they were fed when young.

[@sonickrnd]

We like silly videos! Спасибо! Больше глупых видео)

[@ginnyjollykidd]

I had a big mug like a soup bowl for water for one of my previous cats and a Coca - Cola glass for my own water. Invariably she would go to my glass and drink from it if she had to cram her face in it and reach as far as her tongue would go to get my water! I figured I probably shouldn't worry, but I got that soup bowl on the off chance she would experience whisker stress. Mind you that was way before 2021, but it does make a decent water bowl (ceramic).

[@parsifal40002]

I noticed that all cats have tufts of fur in their ears along the leading edge of their ears. Do they serve any purpose? The ear fur is adorable in their own right.

[@jakual339]

I've read that they're called "furnishings", btw! Possibly the same purpose as human ear hairs: protection and helping to move any debris out of the ear?

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

All of the above answers are correct. They are guard hairs, and they are present to keep junk out of the ear and for us to coo over.

[@f_ogs]

great video, i hadn't heard of this idea before. interestingly one of my cats is weird about bowls, they don't ruin her appetite or stress her out but she absolutely refuses to eat from one and will instead move the food from the bowl and onto the floor, where she laps it up happily. we switched to flat plates and she no longer feels like floor food is better. i think she's just a bit of a diva.

[@jwenting]

similar with mine. The bowls my old cat (rest in peace, Jut) used they don't like, kicking out half the food and leaving some of the rest around the inside edge. Bought them new bowls with flatter profile (lower, more angled, rims) but otherwise the same size and they eat them clean out with no spillage.

[@SallyPlayedGuitar]

Mine was the same but when I changed it to a plate it just made it easier for him to put all the food on the floor

[@tsuntsunsweetie]

We love corner cat blob

[@oliver3339]

This little blob in the corner of your screen 😂😂

[@shannonransom5996]

Pirate beans have cured my mental illness

[@judyboyle9232]

Mr. Pirate has the most beautiful markings. Thanks for always for educating us!

[@Finkeldinken]

Thank you for this!! I only recently heard about whisker stress and had no idea how to evaluate that claim except thinking that it has clearly not been an issue with any of the cats I've come across, but I did think there was a chance that it might have some merit with extra sensitive cats or cats with certain cranium structures. I'm glad to see that it's basically just a myth. Awesome that someone has done the actual research, so we know what's up and down! There's so many myths around our animals out there, and so many feelings involved, it can be really hard to sort the snot from the moustache, as my mom would say.

[@mezereumofficinarum3469]

Маркетологи: Мы изобрели специальную тарелку, чтобы усики котов не касались её краёв! Щёки котов: (переваливаются через края салатников)

[@fighttheevilrobots3417]

Is the Russian word for cats whiskers "antenna", like the translation says? I hope so that's awesome.

[@mezereumofficinarum3469]

@@fighttheevilrobots3417 "усы" (что для мужчин, что для котов - одинаково) или "вибриссы" (это только для котов) Антенны у приборов :)

[@PetrSojnek]

Dr. Yuri debunking myths about cats! Love the video and hopefully we will get more of those :) If you want next topic: there is a myth that if cat spreads food all over their dish, they start to think the food is not there anymore, so you need to collect all the pieces and put it in the middle and cat starts to see it again! Also honestly big thumbs up to those brave scientist that decided to do an experiment concerning cats... which are known to be the worst study subject ever :)

[@annedavis3340]

I tap the dish if my cat missed a morsel of gooshy food. My cat knows to look where I tapped. WAY more fun for me tbh

[@PetrSojnek]

@@annedavis3340 Dear fellow human, I see your cat trained you very well as well :D

[@annedavis3340]

@@PetrSojnek yes, my benevolent overlord has been very attentive to my training. I am very lucky. My cat has even taught me to understand certain words.

[@MissMTurner]

One of my cats is so picky about how and what she eats, there is one plate she uses. It has nothing to do with whisker stress and everything to do with being a cat. 😄 (By the way, I buy small bowls from thrift stores for like a buck each instead of spending $10 for one meant for cat from the pet store.)

[@yzettasmith4194]

I also get my cat dishes from thrifts. Thank heavens because I went out and searched for just the right shape - I bought into whisker stress because I couldn't figure out why my cats wont eat "leftovers" at the edges of the bowl. 🙄

[@danieledugre1837]

Wait….whiskers stress while eating is NOT a thing? I can get my Pyrex oval dishes (picked up for a song at a yard sale) back? Yippee! They were originally for me anyway! Thank you!

[@HondaFan470]

Going to have to disagree with the doctor here. The issue may not be as serious or overblown as articles may make it seem... though he said it himself they are sensitive areas and it's clear cats will react or feel sensation there, regardless if it's "painful", it could simply be an annoyance. Even in the study he quoted, it states: "Some cats appeared to prefer the new whisker-friendly dish over their normal food dish." So while it may not be extremely important or apparent that it's causing stress or annoyance on your cat, it's another thing to think about when giving them the best possible life.

[@adrianagalli7504]

I love your videos. All the best from Rome 🥳

[@joaojoao6423]

Thanks for the amazing video Dr Uri! (: What is your opinion about Jackson Galaxy and "my cat from hell" show?

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

I don't really watch it, but I've seen some of his videos, and most of the advice he gives I agree with. Some I disagree with.

[@microtyger]

Lmaooo @ Mr Pirate being slowly slid along the table at the beginning! 😆😆😆

[@jamison85]

My only regret is that I can only give this video one like. Our cat sadly passed this year after 18 wonderful years, but we used to have a food bowl from a pet store. It was slightly raised and had two metal bowls, but they were fairly narrow. When both bowls were dirty one time, we used a children's plastic dish from IKEA instead - flat, wide, slight lip. She did seem to prefer those, simply because it was easier for her to gobble up everything. It was only when she stopped eating from those that we noticed something was wrong, and sadly that was her last trip. She now rests in an urn in our living room.

[@rickbear7249]

I trust Dr Uri won't mind if I expand on his comments about how our cats use their whiskers, especially as they're such a fascinating integral part of what makes them suck good hunting and killing machines. Being as cats are long-sighted - effectively blind to the close action in the final stages of catching, killing and eating their prey - it's fascinating to watch our cats shifting their whiskers forwards to encircle their prey, enabling them to 'touch sense' exactly where their prey is and to be fully aware of the prey's fast movements in its desperate attempts to escape. We see this when they're hunting or play fighting. The whiskers are an integral part of the way our cats hunt and eat their prey, so it would be silly to suggest a cat would have problems if its whiskers touched its food when eating. Indeed, they probably help our cats hone in on exactly the shape, even the texture, and position of what they're eating 😹 ! Indeed, we should also be aware that our ferocious miniature tigers have another set of whiskers under their front legs. These are also used in hunting to enable our cats to 'touch sense' where prey is as those whiskered front paws move rapidly to keep hold of the prey, and the rear legs need to know exactly where to strike the lethally aggressive final killing blows without the eyes being able to see the action. Seemingly, it's all about feel, which is faster than the cat seeing and the brain drirecting consciously. An amazingly well designed machine with the back feet and claws directed by those whiskers on the front paws during the death struggle when hunting or in a play fight 😼. If you use a smartphone to video a cat having a play fight, especially when it's kicking with its hind feet, you can actually see the leg whiskers in action if you reduce the playback speed and zoom in on the action. Just watch those face whiskers come forwards as the cat prepares to attack! As for where the absurd theory originated? One of my friends has a cat who always removes her dinner from the feeding bowl, placing it on the floor before eating. I can well imagine that a concerned owner might think she didn't like something about the feeding bowl. Whereas my pet theory (if you'll excuse the pun) is that her cat prefers to wrap its whiskers around its dinner, encircling it in a touch-sensitive whisker cage, thereby having her dinner totally under her control when eating. I've noticed that this cat's whiskers are totally originated in a pronounced forwards direction when she eats off the floor. And, being a mischievous cat, it's also fun to make a mess all over the kitchen 😹. Hope this is of interest and Uri doesn't mind me posting this addition? I know I found it fascinating and it helped me better understand and enjoy watching my cat's skills in her play fights.

[@andreaarchambeau9499]

Great sense of humor! Mr Pirate might be one of the most beautiful cat coats I’ve ever seen.

[@josiepkat]

We are owned by a huge orange cat who used to be a stray. Believe me when I say, I don't need to sing anything to him to get him to come eat dinner. He harasses us for food two hours after he eats until his next meal! If he didn't eat he's probably dying. LOL. We love your channel. And yes, we saw the episode "Is your cat fat?" and you are spot on about orange cats!

[@mareksicinski3726]

8:06 well not 'designed' for it, and many things are counteproductive, it is more that theyre a commonly used an general sensory organ to judge head position, so it would be much more counteproductive in general if that was impeding itself, this level of specifcity is a bitt too much to imply, because nothing in nature is 'designed' let alone 'specifically designed' - there is no teleology

[@reginaromsey]

My cat Grendel, cannot abide a hole in his bowl of food showing the bottom. The moment he hits bottom in the otherwise full bow, he walks away. Since I don’t want Fred and George eating Grendel’s kitten food as George is as big, but not as round as Garfield. Thanks for the video!

[@abbynormal4740]

Our cats don't care what shape/size dish they get, as long as it has plenty of the *other* cat's food in it! 😸😸

[@MURZBO]

You're an amazing vet btw I like your cat lady voice in your auto feeder machine recording! I also did a cat lady voice in our cat's machine too

[@werelemur1138]

The food hit the bowl and you had Princess's full attention. She will eat out of anything but wants her water in a glass.

[@adrielandonaque1854]

i was literally just thinking about this yesterday! thank you!

[@EricCharland]

I've seen a lion's pride eat a carcass going for the internal organs, their only stress came from the other lions. :)

[@ninaking5181]

We call our cats’ eyebrow whiskers “horns.”

[@curiousone2940]

My cats' horns are retractable. They come out when they are feeling mischievious!

[@SharonH11100]

Love your sometime-silliness and kitties ~ thanks for this not-to-worry vid💁🏼‍♀️💗🐈😻

[@ddandrews6472]

Thank you for doing this video. I've vaguely heard of this thing ("whisker stress"), but never paid any attention to it to the point of ignoring it completely as the common sense and experience with cats clearly indicates lack of evidence for this so called 'whisker stress' phenomenon. On the other hand, I was told by a vet around ten years ago to use ceramic/clay food bowls rather than plastic ones, particularly for water. This came up back then during the times when my cat was apparently not drinking enough water and experiencing constipation issues. However, I addressed the issue by making that change and other changes to ensure she drank enough water.

[@cindytroxler2838]

Thank you for straightening that out. Because I fell for it. I did realize it didn't seem to matter what type of plate they eat out of.

[@Nassault]

Hi Mr pirate I love youuu!!!! Great sponsor and information Uri! Give pirate a squish for me 🥺

[@rickrollerdude]

TBH I didn't even know that was a thing, though, it would be kind of counter-intuitive from my experience, since my youngest cat plain and simply refuses to eat from anything other than the small 10cm bowls I used to feed him when he was a kitten, plus his mom sometimes chooses to eat from those bowls and she just "folds" her whiskers close to her cheeks while using them.

[@kpepperl319]

I want to squish Mr. Pirate ❤️

[@ellebastonart]

I slapped my knee so much from laughing that I think it's broken 🤣

[@mrychards6682]

I have that same dish! I had never heard of whisker stress--I just liked the paw-print design and figured that because of the shape, it would be easy for them to reach the food.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

It's so good!

[@WingofTech]

lol your cat-feeding song seems to be in a foreign language

[@zarzee8925]

"Cat food for cats, cat-a-food"

[@heidehho6191]

AAHHHH we all feel called out about the feeding song part 😫🤣🙌

[@ItsJustLisa]

I actually considered one of those special dishes when we adopted Nina. However, she’s very good at cleaning her dish when she gets her wet food. I don’t think her dish is an issue. 😄 Hugs and scritches to Mr. Pirate and Claudia.

[@viviana8577]

I think cats have preferences for food dishes like how we have favourite cups. Maybe myth stemmed from that.

[@viviana8577]

My cat definitely has a favorite water bowl. Even if I change it's placement she will go use that one and not the additional water bowl I put just in case

[@hildevongruning2078]

Dr. Uri - YOU ARE AMAZING! My cats sincerely thank you for making their lives better, especially my Achilles who is 9 years old for the massage instructions!

[@medexamtoolscom]

I want a video with Mr. Pirate and Clawdia together! Are they friendly to each other?

[@CombustibleCake]

if whisker stress real why my cat smoosh his face in my hand while cuddles

[@aircando]

KUDOS......had that discussion with a family member who insisted it mattered.....I'VE BEEN VINDICATED.....Merci...Thanks!!

[@tonisterk7562]

Fun fact: Mr pirate is 17 years old 🤯

[@adeleinalotomeleisea]

Wow - thanks so much Doc! I've spent a lot of time worried about whisker stress in my babies.

[@ginnyjollykidd]

Why do cats love plastic? They lick it, too. Why?

[@togetvj]

I love your videos, Vancouver Vet, but it took you 5 minutes to tell me what you mean about whisker stress. Even my Ragdoll cat, Alfie, was getting stressed wondering if he has it. 🤣

[@PotatoNinja101]

3:57 Mr. p trying to hide away 😺

[@kami_kauai]

Awesome video, thanks. I’m also wondering about grain-free food: the same people who talk about whisker stress usually also advocate for grain-free food. What is your professional opinion on the subject?

[@charlottesghost2845]

I wish you were my vet! TY for these vids!

[@parsifal40002]

I think KZbin is getting too big for its own good!! Content creators are their bread and butter and they disrespect you! You have 414K subs people love you. I certainly do!!Please keep your content coming and, of course, Mr Pirate and Clawdia!! I love cat videos can't get enough of them! Watching cute kitties and hearing their adorable meows really helps me deal with depression!! Yes! Mr. Pirate and Clawdia calmly enjoying their food was the BEST ASMR video ever! There is another awesome cat channel called Butters the Bean that I watch faithfully. Your channel and Butters the Bean are the best channels on KZbin!! Speaking of great ASMR videos, Butters mom posted 34 minutes of him meowing and I watched every minute of it!! It was heavenly and I loved it!! BTW I don't remember ever hearing Mr. Pirate or Clawdia meow. Are they quiet kitties?

[@sueannephan3802]

Could you discuss food dish elevation for cats? Automated feeders don't seem to have any elevation.

[@sueannephan3802]

I just realized I could just elevate the entire feeder. Would be great to have your thoughts on the topic! Also, could you make a video on how you care for Mr. Pirate (food type, etc.) Thank you! :)

[@msspentyouth]

Gawd, I just love this channel! Dr. Burstyn lives on the far side of the continent from me, but he’s the one who taught me how to give subcutaneous fluids to my cat when he had cancer, the drama-free way to give pills to my nervous-Nellie feline, and when to worry about kitty weight loss and weight gain. And he’s so personable! Kind, generous, caring, knowledgeable yet always eager to learn more … what’s not to love? His feline co-stars make this channel irresistible.

[@floraposteschild4184]

Cute video, as usual. I'd have like to hear more about the study -- the whisker measuring involved alone boggles the mind.

[@Cyborcat]

Well, damn. I've noticed that my cats always start asking for more food before the bowl is empty and I figured whisker stress was the reason. Now I have no idea why they do it XD

[@yaboicolleen]

Do you have any advice on how to stop cats from eating from another cat's dish? My roommate's cat Nikola has a long history of eating out of any food dish he can reach but in the last year he was diagnosed with a chronic kidney disorder that requires a special diet. The current workaround I've got is feeding my cat small meals throughout the day and making sure there's no leftover food in her dish for Nikola to eat. Since I'm home all day that isn't a huge problem but once I start working again I'm not sure what to do.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

You can’t. Cats have very little respect for private property.

[@avis8885]

They make feeders with doors that are coded to a specific cat’s microchip and will only open for that cat. Other cats can’t get into them. One of the top comments above discusses them. Maybe give that a try.

[@maryandersondearing3053]

I have to watch that the other 2 cats don't bully my anorexic girl out of her food. And she will only eat very small amounts at a time. So I've taken to putting her bowl on shelf, or shutting her in the bathroom for a while with her bowl. Waiting until the other cats are out and then offering her another meal

[@yaboicolleen]

@@maryandersondearing3053 My cat's bowl is on a shelf too, which does work as a bit of a deterrent for the other cat but he still gets up there at least once a day

[@yaboicolleen]

@@HelpfulVancouverVet that's what I figured, thanks for the response tho!