I'm fairly certain that cats whiskers touching things isn't painful.

I really really really doubt that! My dad once had to cut open a Pringles can to free our kitten!!

My cats are just creatures of habit. I get up at the same time every morning and top off their food bowls and water fountain, make my coffee and drink it on the couch while 2 of the 3 fight over who gets to sit on my lap. Any time this routine is broken all hell breaks loose and they collectively lose their shit. They whine and wail around the food bowls, regardless of how full, because god forbid I sleep an extra hour on a day off!

If the bowl doesn't have steep edges, my cat will end up pushing most of the food out of the bowl and scatter it across half the room in a frantic effort to get it into her mouth as quickly as possible.