Cats lose whiskers for a number of reasons, including changes in their facial shape.
Since they’re such a vital feature for cats, their whiskers must be quickly removed. If they’re left intact, they’ll likely grow unruly and hang out of the nose or mouth.
So, why do cats lose their whiskers?
Cats have whiskers that are used for navigation and sensing.
The whiskers also contain scent glands that cats use to identify other cats. The whiskers also help cats keep their balance when jumping or climbing.
Cats lose their whiskers as they grow, and the whiskers don’t grow back. Cats also lose their whiskers when they’re grooming themselves.
Cats don’t have eyelids, so their whiskers are their only protection against dirt and debris while cleaning their faces.
The cat’s whisker follicles start producing more hair as the cat grows older, which leads to the loss of whiskers over time.
Contents
Is It Normal For Your Cat To Lose Whiskers?
Yes, it is common for your cat to lose some of its whisker strands as they age and grow old.
It is a typical and natural occurrence for a cat to lose a few of its hairs as it grows older. However, if you notice that your feline friend has shed most of its facial hairs, you should take it to a veterinarian immediately.
And a temporary loss of whiskers because of a skin condition may also be cause for concern, since skin problems can be signs of more serious health problems.
Why Do Cats Lose Whiskers?
Feline Acne
Surprisingly, cats suffer from acne as well. Feline acne is triggered by stress or hormonal imbalances. The condition causes swelling and spots around the cat’s face, and the hairs on the skin will begin to fall out as the spots form.
This normally begins around the chin, but if the condition worsens, it may cause hair loss around the entire body.
Acne may be avoided by regularly cleaning your feline friend’s face and keeping it away from anything that may cause stress to your cat.
One of the most common causes of feline acne is the hormonal imbalance in female cats and the male hormone in male cats.
Physical Abuse
If a person or another animal hurts your cat physically, or if it gets hurt by another animal, it may lose hair because of the injuries it got.
Specifically, if your cat friend gets attacked and gets a bald spot on its head, it will probably also be bleeding.
Other animals, such as cats or other pets, can bite or scratch your kitten during a fight or even by accident while playing with your pet.
It might be the result of your furry pal’s attempt to fight back, but it may result in injury to your kitty.
The only way to entirely avoid this kind of injury is to keep your feline friend in a cage at all times and make sure it is locked up securely at night.
Even so, there are certain ways you can keep your pet safe from physical abuse and other dangers without locking it up in a cage all the time.
Local Infection
Bacterial and fungal illnesses may have an adverse effect on your cat’s skin and cause some damage to its fur and hair follicles.
This implies they will have no choice but to lose their hair in order to treat the illness that is affecting their skin.
It may also cause infections that may lead to a loss of whiskers as well.
Ringworm, a fungal ailment, might also cause hair loss in your kitten if it is left untreated for too long.
You should seek veterinary care as quickly as you notice any ringworm symptoms in your furry pal, as they may worsen with time if left untreated.
Allergic Reaction
Cats with severe skin allergies may scratch too much, which can cause them to lose their whiskers.
This is a serious health issue that might lead to severe itching, which may in turn lead to more scratching, which could cause your furry pal to lose its whiskers too.
Unlike people, cats often get allergies when they come in contact with certain things in their environment.
It may be induced by exposure to other pets or animals like dogs or rodents, or by coming into contact with chemicals in their surroundings.
Cats can get asthma, just like people, if they have an allergic reaction to something in their environment that they are allergic to.
Natural Whisker Loss
Whiskers on a cat help it to navigate through tight spaces and feel its way through its surroundings by touching the ground and other objects with its nose while hunting.
They are always being replaced, but your cat friend might lose one or two at a time while grooming.
As a result, you are likely to see a slight loss of whiskers on your kitten from time to time, but shouldn’t worry about anything major since they’ll grow back after a while.
If you see one on the sofa, though, it might be a sign of some serious underlying health problem, and you should seek veterinary attention as soon as possible.
Why Do Cats Need Whiskers?
Cats place a high value on their whiskers because they provide them with an important function that’s vital to their survival in the wild.
They are sophisticated sensors that allow them to feel their way around their environment and get a sense of danger, such as the presence of predators or poisonous plants around them.
They function similarly to insect antennae and allow the cat to detect changes in air pressure, vibrations in the air, and even temperatures.
If a cat can squeeze its whiskers through a small opening, it can detect the presence of a prey or predator on the other side before opening it back up and alerting its friends.
Whiskers also enable the kitty to feel its way around tight corners as well. They’re so sensitive that the cat can feel a single hair strand protruding from an object or from between its own teeth.
Since a kitten’s whiskers are still under construction, they should be handled with care to avoid damaging them.
They even help the cat land on its feet because they detect any surface beneath them and guide them when they jump from great heights.
How Often Do Cats Lose Whiskers?
Every three to four weeks, your cat will replace all its lost whiskers with new ones.
This may vary amongst cats, as some may lose their whisker tips more frequently than others. However, there’s usually nothing serious behind the loss of these hair strands.
If your cat loses more than four whiskers at once, then there’s a possibility that they’re injured in some way and require medical attention.
It is thus suggested that you take your pet to the vet for a checkup if you notice a sudden loss of its whisker tips.
How Many Whiskers Do Cats Have?
Most cats have 12 whiskers on each cheek, although some may have more and others less.
This, however, might vary across breeds of cats and depend on their genetics as well.
The fact that the number differs in each cat makes it difficult to predict how many are on the feline’s face at any given time and makes it impossible for you to tell when it’s time for a trim by just looking at them.
Aside from the quantity, the shape and size of the cat’s whiskers can also differ depending on their breed and genetics.
The majority of it is covered in fur, but some parts stick out and are bare; this makes them easy to distinguish from one another.
Also Read: Why Are My Cat’s Whiskers Curling?
Final Words
It’s natural for your cat to occasionally lose some or even all of its whiskers; this usually happens when a cat is grooming itself or when it’s feeling particularly playful.
Whiskers shed naturally will recover, and the loss won’t affect the health of your pet in any way.
If your cat loses an unusually large number of whiskers or if whisker loss happens often, it could mean that something is wrong with the animal and it needs help.
