Have you heard the term “whisker fatigue” lately? It cropped up in a recent article suggesting causes of a cat’s picky eating behavior. Supposedly, cats suffer from this mysterious syndrome when their whiskers rub against their food bowl. This, so the story goes, is so stressful that cats end up just playing with their food, dreading meals or even becoming aggressive.

Subsequently, veterinary specialists and representatives of professional organizations were asked about whisker fatigue. Each said that while a cat’s whiskers are sensitive, there’s no evidence to support this cause-and-effect relationship. In other words, they concluded, whisker fatigue is not a ‘‘thing.’’

In the original article, manufacturers simultaneously touted their new bowl designs, which were just shallow enough to avoid whisker fatigue. Who knew?