A cat's whiskers fall out or break: reasons, what to do, reviews, interesting facts

Do cats lose their whiskers?

Many people wonder why a cat needs a mustache at all, and whether they fall out. In fact, this is one of the organs of touch, it is called vybrissae. Thick hairs are located not only in the muzzle area, but scattered over the entire area of ​​the body, even on the pads.

Functions of the whiskers in a cat:

• Allows you to move in space
• To prevent the animal from crashing into the dark
• To estimate area, wind speed
• To tell others about your state of mind
• To perceive movement and sound

Pet owners may be wondering, do cats lose their whiskers ? Yes, just like people's hair, pets' fur changes throughout their lives. These processes are very sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure; in blind animals they often become the only organ with which the pet can move around the room. If a pet's whiskers are cut off, its existence becomes incomplete, it may stagger and fall. More information about what will happen if a cat's whiskers are cut off can be found here .

Cat

Why do cats need whiskers?

All animals from the cat family have good hearing, a sense of smell and a specific organ called whiskers (vibrissae) in the form of coarse hairs near the mouth, which have a pronounced function of touch. The bases of the organ are located on the surface of the skin and are connected to a large number of nerve endings.

Vibrissae transmit special impulses to the brain to receive certain information. Therefore, if you cut off a cat’s whiskers, it may lose important functions for the body:

• orientation in the environment. It is with the help of their whiskers that cats are well oriented in the place where they are, since the whiskers transmit impulses about the presence of possible obstacles. The animal’s brain begins to solve the problem after receiving the appropriate signal;
• moving a cat at night. This function is especially useful for elderly animals whose visual acuity is impaired;
• successful jumping by cats, since with the help of their whiskers the animals accurately calculate the distance, trajectory and angle, the force of the body flight for successful hunting and protection when meeting an enemy;
• normalization of the vestibular apparatus, which ensures the animal’s balance while walking, jumping, running;
• the mustache is an integral assistant during hunting, since the sense of touch helps to establish the direction of the wind, the smell of the prey and its path of movement in complete darkness;
• With the help of their whiskers, cats can determine the depth of various holes. Reflective impulses from the walls transmit a signal to the brain, and the animal can assess the danger of a particular situation for itself;
• cats without whiskers cannot normally determine the temperature of food, liquids and recognize their nutritional characteristics;

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• many experts confirm that with the help of their whiskers, cats can detect magnetic changes in the earth and predict meteorological weather conditions;
• one or another position of the whiskers may indicate the mood of the pet (spaced and raised whiskers indicate a strong interest in the cat, and if they are pressed to the muzzle, then the animal experiences a feeling of fear).

Therefore, if a cat’s whiskers are cut, the animal will lose all of the above functions, which will negatively affect its general condition.

Why does a cat's whiskers fall out?

If your cat only loses one hair, don’t panic. It is best to see how the pet behaves and whether a new hair grows in this place. Typically, gradual hair loss of whiskers is not a sign of pathology and may coincide with the molting period. Just like all wool, they fall out along with it and are renewed.

The fact is that old hairs become very stiff, hard and break. Often the cause of absence or baldness is the animal's aggression and competition with another male. You also need to look carefully, perhaps the animal was in contact with fire not long ago, so the hairs were burned. However, sometimes falling out whiskers can indicate problems with the pet's health.

Why does a cat's whiskers fall out? Reasons:

• Disorders of the endocrine system, thyroid gland or hypothyroidism
• Bacterial infections
• Infection with worms, helminths
• Diabetes mellitus type 1, 2
• Allergic reaction to food or chemicals
• Metabolic disease

Your doctor will help you determine the cause. With certain ailments, other symptoms are most often observed along with hair loss of the vibrissae.

cat

When is it normal for a cat to lose its whiskers?

It is physiologically determined that the coat (hair follicles) are replaced by new ones over time. The same applies to vibrissae. The gradual loss of whiskers and their replacement with new ones occurs regardless of the molting season. In most cases, a cat's whiskers change gradually, almost unnoticeably to the owner. There is no need to panic or worry if the owner notices a pet’s whiskers falling out on the carpet.

If the owner notices a large number of pet’s whiskers falling out at once, this is not the norm and it is necessary to contact a veterinarian.

Perhaps the animal lacks collagen or vitamins in its diet. In the case of a more dangerous pathology, a detailed diagnosis is carried out and a number of therapeutic techniques are prescribed. It is important to understand that an animal accustomed to whiskers completely relies on their functions. Whiskers that fall out or break off in large numbers make the cat practically helpless.

What disease causes a cat's whiskers to fall out?

Below you can find accompanying symptoms of metabolic disorders and thyroid diseases with vibrissae hair loss.

What disease causes a cat's whiskers to fall out?

• If there are disturbances in the functioning of the thyroid gland, the coat becomes less smooth and shiny, and loses its healthy appearance, becoming matte.
• The cat becomes very aggressive, active, or vice versa, sleepy. The cat eats practically nothing, or, on the contrary, eats everything that is put in his bowl. But at the same time, the weight does not increase, but rather decreases.
• The animal is thirsty. Typically, all these symptoms are observed with hypothyroidism. Vomiting and diarrhea often occur along with this disease.

cat

Pet care, maintenance, treatment and prevention

Types of treatment may vary depending on the disease.

• If the problem lies in nutrition, then the cat will be prescribed a diet that will either get rid of whisker loss or add vitamins to the body.
• If you have an allergy, you must follow the doctor’s instructions and exclude the pathogen that caused the hair loss. Perhaps the cat is allergic to shampoo, which means it will have to be excluded from washing. It is also advisable to put away chemicals that are used in everyday life.
• Poor quality materials in toys, scratching posts and beds cause shedding. So make sure you have good products for your pet.
• For thyroid disease, hormonal tablets are prescribed.
• Feed your cat only high-quality foods that contain all the beneficial vitamins and microminerals. Eliminate cheap and highly popular products like Kitekat or Whiskas.
• Vaccinate your cat on time against various pathogens. Treat fur, leather and external surfaces. Do not walk your cat if you are not sure of its protection.
• Water is the source of life. Your cat should always have access to water.
• If your house is dry, get a humidifier or constantly ventilate the room.
• The most important factor is to visit the doctor not “when necessary,” but regularly, for examinations and vaccinations.
• Never trim your mustache yourself. This is strictly prohibited!

The pet's condition rests entirely on your shoulders. Don't neglect your responsibility and love your pet.

A cat's whiskers break due to allergies

If the pet's whiskers begin to fall off, along with this there are bloody spots and wounds on the face, the animal is constantly itching, this indicates that the pet has become infected with parasites. If the pet is of mature age and often goes to the toilet, then the vibrissae falling out indicate exhaustion of the body. In adulthood, cats develop diabetes mellitus. The animal's whiskers often rash and break due to allergies.

A cat's whiskers break or fall out due to allergies, symptoms:

• Itchy skin, constant scratching
• Swelling, swelling of the mucous membranes
• Excessive salivation
• Discharge of mucus from the eyes, suppuration
• Hair loss

If the cat’s temperature is high, an increased heart rate is observed, most likely the animal has a metabolic disorder.

Vibrissae

Why does my cat's whiskers break, what should I do?

Some breeds are prone to hair loss and broken whiskers. This usually occurs in sphinxes, which is associated with a lack of moisture in the skin, wool, and hair. Due to excessive drying, hairs break off. If your animal's whiskers often break, there may be some health problems.

Why does a cat's whiskers break, what to do:

• Vitamin deficiency. Usually, along with this, hair loss is observed, claws break and separate, and the mouth also smells bad.
• Inappropriate diet. This may be cheap economy class food, which does not sufficiently compensate for the deficiency of proteins and vitamins.
• Fungus. Oddly enough, it affects not only the claws, but also the fur and whiskers. Therefore, if the fur falls out in patches or breaks off, most likely the animal has a fungal disease.
• Presence of parasites and lice eaters. Lice eaters destroy not only wool, but also whiskers.

Kitty

Diseases that can cause mustache breakage

It’s the same with nutrition - if the diet is poorly balanced, then the whiskers cease to be elastic and break as soon as the kitten unsuccessfully jumps or falls. There are different cases when nutritional imbalance may appear:

1. Artificial products. Although they write on the food that it contains useful minerals and essential vitamins, in reality they are often made from products that are useless for cats. Especially if these are cheap products. Sometimes an animal simply cannot tolerate a particular food. And the most dangerous thing is the fact that dyes and various additives with chemical components are added to the feed. This not only harms the whiskers, but also the cat’s body in general.
2. Natural products. In this case, the reason most often lies in the surrogate components from which the product is made. It is not always possible to know with certainty what meat has been processed with, what exactly the cottage cheese was made from, and it is unknown whether chemicals have been added to the milk. The cat's body, by its nature, is very sensitive to such components and it is likely that it was because of them that the kitten began to lose its whiskers.
3. Food allergies. The kitten suffers from allergic reactions to any product, and not only does it lose hair and whiskers, but also tears flow, itchy skin and there are signs of dermatitis.
4. Avitaminosis. The animal simply lacks the necessary vitamins, which leads to damage to the mustache.
5. Hormonal system disorders. In cats, it is often possible to determine the functioning of the thyroid gland by their whiskers. Hypothyroidism often manifests itself - depression or hyperthyroidism - very high activity. Signs include too much or too little weight, thinning fur, hair loss (and whiskers too). Seeing this, you can understand that the young animal has problems with the thyroid gland.

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Infecting a cat with an infection or any parasites is a very scary thing, and the owner can notice this precisely because the pet’s whiskers have begun to fall out along with the fur. The parasites that have entered the body simply gnaw through the cat's hairs and choose the bulbs as a place to live. And if a fungus starts, it completely damages all the subcutaneous layers, and the mustache cannot grow. Moreover, they curl up and grow into the skin, forming rather painful purulent follicles.

In fact, there are only a few reasons that provoke the occurrence of such a problem. Most often this occurs as a result of improper feeding or due to so-called physiological characteristics.

Those who want to understand why a kitten's whiskers break should be aware that the root of this problem may lie in health problems of the pet.

An animal may begin to lose its whiskers if it is diagnosed with a food allergy. In such cases, not only the mustache, but also the hair may fall out. To get rid of these symptoms, you need to contact a veterinarian and undergo all tests to identify the allergen.

Hypothyroidism can also cause mustache loss. This disease usually affects older animals. It leads to disruption of metabolic processes occurring in the cat's body. Typical symptoms of hypothyroidism include loss of whiskers and fur, hyperactivity and increased appetite. In some cases, this disease may be accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss.

My cat's whiskers are falling out, is this normal?

Please note that animals that eat low amounts of meat suffer from collagen and taurine deficiency. Along with this, loss of antennae is observed. In this case, it is necessary to prescribe vitamins and minerals to your pet.

Why is a cat's whiskers falling out? Is this normal?

• Very often, the owner himself becomes to blame for the baldness of his mustache. Some owners themselves shorten the animal's whiskers, cutting them off completely so that they grow thicker. Under no circumstances should this be done, as the animal may get sick.
• There are several other reasons why an animal’s whiskers fall out. This could be due to excessive dryness in the air in the room. Oddly enough, not only children need an air humidifier, but also cats. Try to purchase a humidifier, or ventilate the room during the heating season, and hang wet towels on the central heating radiators.
• Often, a female who raises kittens can shorten their antennae. This is done with the goal that the babies run away from their mother as little as possible and stay near her most of the time.
• After shortening the hairs, the kittens become calmer, more docile, and spend most of their time near their mother. Therefore, there is no need to worry if the kittens that your cat recently brought in have short whiskers. They may periodically decrease in length. Perhaps the cat shortens them on her own.

Mustache

How can an owner harm a pet?

To understand how important whiskers are for a kitten, let's try to figure out why he needs them. Literally, vibrissae means “to vibrate.” If you take a closer look at the cat, you will notice that they vibrate from the objects that it touches.

Each antennae is an independent organ of touch that is connected to the brain. Vibrissae are located in the skin three times deeper than the bristles and are surrounded on all sides by nerves through which information is transmitted to the pet’s brain.

Each antenna transmits information to its corresponding area of ​​the cerebral cortex

That is why it is necessary to pay special attention to the factor of loss of whiskers by the cat, since he is temporarily unprotected from the outside world

Cats' whiskers are also called "vibrissae"

For any cat, even an apartment cat, having healthy and strong whiskers is very important. However, modern pets often suffer from problems such as whiskers falling out and breaking off.

What to do about it?

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How to help a cat?

A lack of minerals and vitamins can cause your kitten's whiskers to be short, broken, or missing altogether. Tiny kittens should be fed using natural food.

And in general, the issue of choosing food for a pet needs to be approached seriously and responsibly.

• The reason why a kitten's whiskers break is due to the developmental characteristics of the animal. Cats, like people, have a concept of adolescence. At this time, baby teeth fall out and hair grows. The mustache also falls out.
• If the problem is in the physiological characteristics of your pet’s maturation, you can help his body get stronger quickly with the help of calcium, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins. However, you should not choose the drugs and dosage yourself, otherwise you can harm the cat even more.
• Only a veterinarian can give qualified advice on this issue.
• Sometimes the vibrissae break off due to some kind of fungal infection, in which case you should definitely consult a doctor.

It happens that the whiskers become damaged while playing with other pets or children. It is necessary to monitor the child’s behavior and not allow him to abuse the animal.

With the help of whiskers, cats better navigate in space and move in the dark. Therefore, you need to do everything to ensure that the kitten recovers.

The purchased food may not meet the requirements, so your pet will need to take vitamin and mineral complexes.

Very often the owner himself is the cause of the animal’s poor health. He provokes this by performing the following actions:

• Mustache plucking.
• Shortening of the vibrissae.
• Trimming your mustache to make it grow faster and thicker.

Such actions can damage the animal's mental state. The cat will have difficulty oriented in space, sleep restlessly, limp, and experience discomfort. A cat's whiskers are removed only if prescribed by a veterinarian. A common reason that forces the use of this measure is ingrown mustaches into the skin or fungal infections.

Having noticed a similar problem, every inexperienced owner wonders why the cat’s whiskers are falling out, what to do and how to help her. When hair loss is rare and temporary, there is nothing to worry about. Frequent and abundant loss and fragility of the whiskers is a reason for an early visit to the veterinarian.

Ignoring the problem can lead to serious complications during the development of certain diseases. Therefore, after making an accurate diagnosis, treatment should be started immediately in order to save your pet not only and not so much from whisker loss - sometimes even from death.

If during the examination and conversation it is revealed that the cause of the loss of whiskers was an incorrect feeding system, a veterinarian will help you adjust a new balanced diet.

What to do if your cat's whiskers fall out?

To choose the right treatment, it is necessary to establish a diagnosis. For these purposes, it is worth contacting a doctor so that he can examine the animal and take the necessary tests. After the doctor receives the test results, he will prescribe the necessary medications to prevent mustache loss.

What to do if your cat's whiskers fall out:

• If the cause of hair and whisker loss is disease, then after treatment, hair growth on the animal’s body will be restored. If the whiskers fall out due to lack of nutrition, a diet may be prescribed that excludes the allergen and includes foods rich in proteins and vitamins.
• The doctor may also prescribe a nourishing shampoo, as well as avoiding chemicals used to clean the house. Animals are often allergic to these drugs. Oddly enough, a new bed can cause your pet's whiskers to fall out.
• Modern beds, which are ordered on Chinese websites, can be made from low-quality materials, using glue containing formaldehyde and acrylic. Often the animal is allergic to these substances, causing whiskers to fall out.
• If a malfunction in the endocrine system is detected, hormonal drugs and tablets are prescribed to help normalize the concentration of hormones in the blood.

Black cat

What to do?

First of all, you should review your pet’s diet and change the food or, as veterinarians advise, switch to human food, since natural products, in addition to being a source of useful elements, are easier to digest. But do not forget that the pet’s menu should be balanced and consist exclusively of fresh products. When the whiskers are broken and do not grow for a long time, the cat may need an additional complex of vitamins, but their administration should be done exclusively by a veterinarian.

Cestal will relieve the animal of helminthic infestation.

If helminths are identified, which also cause whiskers to break off, it is advisable to undergo a course of anthelmintic therapy using the following drugs:

• "Cestal";
• "Prasitel";
• "Quantum";
• "Prasitid";
• "Kanikvakntel".

If a fungal infection is suspected, one of the following medications is usually prescribed:

• "Amphotericin";
• "Potassium iodide";
• "Amoxicillin."

When cats have broken whiskers for a long time, a parasite may have settled on the pet’s skin

Do not hesitate to visit a specialized physician; it is important to identify the type of pest and the extent of damage as early as possible. You can give injections yourself or feed your animal pills, but only after the doctor prescribes the most appropriate medication and describes the correct use of it.

Sometimes external use of local drugs is sufficient, but in other cases complex therapy is required, including antibacterial drugs in the regimen.

How to prevent a cat's whiskers from falling out?

To do this, you must adhere to certain rules.

How to prevent your cat's whiskers from falling out:

• Be sure to use anthelmintic drugs for prevention.
• Give your pet food that is appropriate for its age and needs for vitamins and minerals.
• You should not feed your animal exclusively with economy-class dry food, since it contains little protein, a lot of carbohydrates and a decent amount of preservatives and allergens.

There are many interesting facts about cat whiskers. Oddly enough, not all animals can boast of having vibrissae. For example, there are breeds, such as the Sphynx, that do not have coarse hair at all. Scientists have not fully figured out how a cat senses objects and navigates in space. Presumably she does this using her bald skin, which is very sensitive.

Maine Coons are the most mustachioed. This breed has hair that reaches 20 cm in length. Thanks to this feature, the breed was included in the Guinness Book of Records. It is also necessary to take into account the genetic characteristics of some animals. For example, sphinxes are distinguished by thin skin and the presence of minimal hair on the skin. In this regard, the antennae are very soft, quickly break and curl. It is these cats that most often experience whisker loss, but there is nothing wrong with that.

cat

What is the danger?

If this condition progresses, the animal will soon begin to have problems with coordination of movements.
Whisker loss is a serious problem for cats because they are important sense organs. If they fall out profusely, it becomes difficult for the pet to navigate in space, especially in the dark. His confidence decreases and problems with coordination of movements arise. Owners notice that the cat's gait changes over time. If a pet loses the ability to sense external objects, this can lead to its death.

Why cats' whiskers fall out: reviews

Almost every owner of a purring friend has encountered this problem. Below you can read reviews from cat owners.

Why cats' whiskers fall out: reviews

Elizabeth. I have a Maine Coon, a very cute, unusual breed, with long whiskers. One day I noticed that on one side the hairs became much shorter. As it turned out later, the cat took a walk near the fire, so it singed its whiskers. This significantly affected his orientation in space; sometimes he did not quite correctly calculate the trajectory, fell out of bed, and hit the bedside table. When the hair grew back, everything returned to normal.

Oksana. I had some trouble, the children were playing pranks and cut off our Musa’s mustache. She behaved quite strangely for a long time, swayed from side to side, and could not jump onto her favorite chair. As soon as new antennae grew, everything became as before.

Valery. We have a Sphynx, and he has a very short mustache. From time to time they fall out and are replaced with new ones. I didn't notice any change in behavior. The cat, as always, is very cheerful and active.

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Be sure to pay attention to signs of allergies when changing your pet's diet. When introducing a new food, record accompanying symptoms, such as lacrimation, swelling of the mucous membranes. Be sure to get your cat vaccinated to avoid viral and bacterial infections. Your veterinarian and vaccination schedule will help you with this. Be sure to bring your animal to the veterinarian for examination every few months. Provide the cat with the necessary food, a place to rest, and toys. Proper care prevents hair loss and helps restore your pet's health.

Cat's whiskers as a sensory organ

Vibrissae are a kind of navigation system that provides mustachioed striped animals with orientation in space and perception of the three-dimensional world around them. Using their whiskers, they “feel” objects, just as people do with their fingers. On the head the vibrissae are located:

• in 4 rows near the nose above the upper lip;
• above the eyes in the “eyebrow” area;
• under the chin;
• on the cheeks.

The role of vibrissae. Vibrissae allow you to accurately determine the size of the hole into which the cat can crawl. If the sensitive “antennas” on the muzzle, thrust into the hole, rest against something hard, the animal immediately retreats.

Sensitive hairs of a slightly different type can be found in murkas:

• inside the ear;
• on the inside of the wrist;
• between the toes;
• on the tail.

Dimensions.

Individuals born with low vision or blind are endowed with particularly prominent vibrissae, exceeding 8 cm in size.