How many rows of whiskers do cats have and why do they fall out, what to do: causes of whisker loss in cats

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Cat whiskers or vibrissae are not just decoration. They play the role of a kind of radar, helping the animal navigate the surrounding world. Sometimes cat owners notice that their pet's whiskers are falling out and starting to thin out. They are faced with the question of why the cat’s whiskers fall out. At the same time, it is important to distinguish in which case this manifestation is the norm, and when it is a deviation indicating health problems.

Some people wonder why a cat needs a mustache. For animals they represent the organ of touch. Their other name is vibrissae. They are located not only on the face, but also in groups throughout the body, for example on the ankles or paw pads. The mustache has an expanded functional meaning. With their help, the cat solves such complex problems :

Orientation in space.
Avoiding obstacles in the dark.
Estimation of area, speed and strength of wind.
Notifying others about your mood.
Detect the source of motion or sound.

The mustache is also sensitive to atmospheric phenomena. And for blind animals they can serve as a visual organ. Without whiskers, a cat's life becomes incomplete. In some cases, the absence of vibrissae poses a certain danger to it.

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

What are whiskers needed for, and how does a cat use them?

Why do cats need whiskers? With their mustaches and eyebrows they “feel” the nearby space, receiving additional information about it. Vibrissae allow a small predator to:

Determine the distance to objects and their size. For example, with their help, a cat, approaching a hole, can correlate its size with the width of its own body and decide whether it should try to get inside.
Orientate yourself in space even in the dark. By analyzing information from the vibrissae and other sense organs, the brain creates the most complete picture of the surrounding world. In the dark, cats see better than people, but the main helpers in conditions of limited visibility are not their eyes, but their whiskers.

Get to know something new. To obtain information about an object, another animal or person, the cat approaches it, directing its whiskers forward.
Determine external conditions (atmospheric pressure, humidity, temperature) and sense their slightest changes. When the cat does this, the whiskers move slightly. It has been noticed that before natural disasters or weather changes, the behavior of animals changes.
Avoid eye damage. The cat is able to make his way through thorny thickets even in the dark - touching the branches with his whiskers, he automatically closes his eyelids.
Assess the speed and direction of the wind in order to correctly choose the strength and trajectory of the jump.
Get information about food. Everything that is near the muzzle does not fall into the animal’s field of vision. The nose and whiskers help the cat determine what is in front of it.
Monitor the condition of the prey that is in the teeth.
Determine the structure and temperature of the surface. The vibrissae located on the paws are responsible for this.

Vibrissae are an indicator of the animal's mood. The whiskers are directed forward - it shows interest and is ready for active action. If they are pressed to the face, the cat is scared or aggressive.

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

Mustache: briefly about the main thing

Let's figure out why a cat needs a mustache?

It is known that in a kitten in the embryonic stage, the first developing hairs are the vibrissae. This state of affairs is not accidental and is explained by the fact that it is the mustache that first of all helps the baby establish contact with the environment with which he is surrounded.

The whiskers send nerve impulses that are recognized by brain cells. The visual function of the eyes is carried out according to the same scheme. By summing up these signals, the cat perceives the world around it.

To answer the question of why a cat needs a mustache, let’s remember what a graceful animal it is. Its grace and maneuverability are also achieved thanks to the vibrissae. It is the “tactile hairs” that allow you to feel the direction of air flows, which is of considerable importance when making a jump, at the moment of falling and during normal movement. The information received by the vibrissae helps to avoid unnecessary injuries.

It is known that a cat's whiskers are very sensitive. For this reason, human touching them is not very pleasant for the animal.

The whiskers are capable of providing data that cannot be obtained using other senses. The difference between vibrissae and regular hair is that the vibrissae go much deeper into the tissue than regular hair. As mentioned earlier, “tactile hairs” have many nerve endings, thanks to which the animal receives a lot of information about the surrounding world.

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.

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What is the difference between a planned mustache change and a pathological one?

Losing a cat's whiskers is not a symptom that you should panic about. However, if it is accompanied by other symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor and identify the underlying cause. An important aspect is the extent of vibrissae loss. During a planned change, a cat cannot lose all its whiskers at once. The cat's whiskers grow for some time, serve the cat, and then fall out. A new one begins to grow in its place. This process is characterized as natural; therefore, there is no need to interfere with it.

During a planned change, a cat cannot be left without a whisker; it is practically invisible to humans.

Table: main diseases that cause mustache loss

Type of disease Associated symptoms Allergic reaction

skin rash on various parts of the body;
itching;
scratching;
local baldness;
sneezing;
runny nose or eyes;
peeling of paw pads;
eczema;
dyspnea;
local and general increase in temperature;
swelling.

Fungal infections

the cat combs the same place;
presses his neck;
shakes his head;
loses appetite;
There are rashes on the skin with transparent blisters.

Thyroid dysfunction

constant thirst;
loss of body weight or, conversely, sudden gain;
drowsiness;
visual impairment;
loss of smell;
dulling of fur;
appearance of bald areas.

Any of the symptoms is a reason to contact your veterinarian.

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

Vibrissae are hard hairs that serve as the main organ of touch for a cat. Each cat's whisker has a different length and thickness, and the degree of its sensitivity depends on the size. The longest and most sensitive ones are located above the upper lip. And the short ones - less sensitive - are located on the cheeks, on the chin and above the eyes.

A cat must have 24 whiskers, 12 on each side, so that they come into contact with a large number of nerve endings. All signals that cats perceive with the help of their whiskers instantly enter the nervous system, which allows the animal to fully perceive the world around them.

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

Caring for your cat's whiskers

There are no specific care procedures provided.
Even if a cat’s whiskers break, there is no need to smear, comb or carry out any other manipulations (unless they are prescribed by a veterinarian). However, there are a number of things that (!) do not need to be done. Never cut or pluck your cat's whiskers! Even if you think that they are too long, interfere with the cat, etc. - control yourself. World record holder for the longest mustache, Mei-kun Missy wore her 19cm whiskers proudly without any ill effects.

Important! The rule “if you trim them, they will become longer or thicker” does not apply to whiskers. There are not many hairless cat breeds in the world and some of them are hybrids

Canadian, Don and St. Petersburg Sphinxes usually have no mustaches. Hybrids (Elves, Bambinos, Levkoi), bred from Sphinxes and other breeds, may have short, curled, sparse mustaches. Some Cornish Rex, German and Selkirk Rex and other curly-haired cats have spiral whiskers of normal length and thickness. We repeat - do not trim, even if you have a hairless cat that should not have whiskers

There are not many hairless cat breeds in the world and some of them are hybrids. Canadian, Don and St. Petersburg Sphinxes usually have no mustaches. Hybrids (Elves, Bambinos, Levkoi), bred from Sphinxes and other breeds, may have short, curled, sparse mustaches. Some Cornish Rex, German and Selkirk Rex and other curly-haired cats have spiral whiskers of normal length and thickness. We repeat - do not cut, even if you have a hairless cat, which should not have whiskers.

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

Warning

The most common cause of whisker problems in cats lies in the “care” of the owner. Animals with lush and long whiskers are especially often subjected to “domestic violence”. Never trim your pet's whiskers, no matter what your motives!

Do not pluck your cat's whiskers, even if she is a hairless breed.

Do not trim the whiskers if your cat gets them dirty while eating. The pet will do an excellent job of washing itself and maintaining its own hygiene.

If it seems to you that your cat doesn’t have enough whiskers, you shouldn’t trim them to make them “grow thicker.” This “law” doesn’t work on people, and even less so on pets.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=p_zHSyeL6PU

A cat whose whiskers have been cut cannot sleep peacefully, its gait changes, lameness and uncertainty appear. The absence of vibrissae literally leads to mental disorder, which turns into insanity. Whether an animal will recover from an injury depends on its innate characteristics and mental stability.

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

Mustache care

Why a cat tramples its paws: the main reasons and what it means

There are no special mustache care procedures. The place where they fall out or break does not need to be processed, as well as any other procedures. However, there are a number of manipulations that definitely should not be done.

Do not pull out, break or trim your mustache. Even if there is a suspicion that they are too long or the cat is uncomfortable walking with them, removing the whiskers and violating their integrity is prohibited. In addition, the rule that if you trim the whiskers, they will grow longer in the future - this is fundamentally wrong.

The loss of 1-2 antennae is not dangerous for a kitten and is natural. In other cases, you should take a careful look at the animal and try to find the reason for the massive loss of its senses of touch. If there are accompanying symptoms, as well as suspicions of the presence of disease or parasites, you should consult a veterinarian. An examination and tests will help identify the cause of the loss or deterioration of the kitten’s whiskers.

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.

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Natural causes

It's not all bad for owners of furry purrs. It’s worth mentioning right away that in some situations and for a number of breeds, whisker breaking is a normal situation. What are the reasons for the described phenomenon? Vibrissae (as cat whiskers are called in the scientific community!) are coarse hairs that need renewal. They make it easy to navigate in space even in pitch darkness. With their help, the pet determines the temperature of the food and its origin. The process of whisker loss is as natural as, for example, cats shedding hair or gaining fat for the winter.

What should the owner do? First of all, don't worry. Wait a few days and if the cat is planning to form new whiskers, then you don’t have to worry. They will soon grow back successfully. If the situation is the opposite and after an impressive period of time new whiskers do not grow or they simply do not exist, then you should consult a veterinarian.

There are entire breeds that lack whiskers. There are several main reasons for this.

In the first place are the sphinxes, as well as their hybrid breeds: bambino, greyhound, elves, etc. Moreover, the percentage of individuals without mustaches is not so large, but they feel great. Some cats exhibit small whiskers. As for Sphynx animals. Under no circumstances should you trim even the smallest mustache. If they fall out, this is, for the most part, a reason to consult a veterinarian.
Kittens' whiskers break off due to curiosity. The baby can stick his head into a narrow hole, get out unsuccessfully and lose part of the whiskers. Sometimes, the cat deliberately bites them off entirely. In any case, they will grow back and there is no need to worry. This is natural, although sometimes cruel, behavior of animals.
In the struggle of males for a lady or territory, fights often occur. In the heat of battle, not only the loser, but also the winner can lose their mustache.

In any case, the reasons described are a natural process for cats’ whiskers to fall out or break off. After some time they will grow back, perhaps even more magnificently than before.

As the kitten grows, its whiskers may break. This is due to hormonal changes in the body. It can be compared to the growth of a beard and mustache in people during adolescence.

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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What can you feed a 1-6 month old kitten without a cat and how many times a day: list of feeds, products and dishes, feeding regimen
Is it possible to leave a cat alone for a day, 5 days, a week, two weeks?
Why does a cat itch and lick itself, but there are no fleas? The cat is constantly itching: causes, methods of treatment

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.

Prevention of vibrissae loss

To ensure that your cat always maintains its beautiful and healthy whiskers, you need to follow some simple rules:

the animal must be treated in a timely manner for worms and parasites using special means; feeding the pet must be carried out in accordance with the recommendations of veterinarians; it is necessary to pay attention to the signs that indicate an allergy and promptly eliminate the factors that cause it; you cannot neglect the schedule of scheduled vaccinations and skip them; it is necessary to visit a doctor at regular intervals;

You can’t trim an animal’s whiskers; you shouldn’t even just pull them. These actions cause discomfort and contribute to the loss of whiskers. To preserve the richness of your cat's whiskers, you should:

Feed your cat high-quality food. Cheap food will not bring any benefit and will destroy the animal’s immune system.
Include additional vitamin and mineral complexes in the diet if the cat is on a natural diet.

Animals on a natural diet need additional vitamin and mineral complexes, but the drug itself must be prescribed by a veterinarian
Monitor the amount of water consumed by a pet fed with dry food.
Before offering your cat raw meat or fish, heat the food or freeze it for 2-3 days to avoid infection with parasites.

A cat's whiskers are a significant organ, and its condition must be monitored. If you follow the recommendations of specialists and avoid the causes that cause the loss of whiskers, your pet will lead a full life for many years.

Brittle whiskers in a pet

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?

How to help a cat?

One of the main reasons why a cat's whiskers break is related to its diet. The pet must consume a certain amount of proper and balanced food containing vitamins and microelements.

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.

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.

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.

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKpZXFNCXkQ

The whiskers returning to their previous shape will be living evidence that restorative changes are taking place in the cat’s body.