Why does a cat's whiskers break? The main causes of split ends - Tips

The vigilant owner saw a broken mustache - what does this mean?

You probably heard in childhood that a cat with its whiskers cut off stops “smelling” or loses its sense of smell. This myth is actually reflected in the animal's loss of orientation. Whiskers - they are also called vibrissae - serve to spatially determine position. It is a fact that a cat, cat or kitten can use its whiskers to decide whether it will fit into a hole or a crack. It happens that this feeling fails them, and in the end they have to rescue the pet from trouble.

At the same time, thickening or excessive length of the mustache leads to deterioration of vision.

Some breeds (hairless, such as elf, sphinx, bambino) do not have whiskers at all; this is a normal phenomenon associated with genetic predispositions.

It is believed that the broken mustache has “served” its purpose and is replaced by a new one that has grown again. This occurs in sexually mature pets, accompanying molting, and is not considered an abnormal phenomenon. If the process begins to develop too intensively, and growth of the mustache is not observed, it is worth paying attention and establishing the causes of the pathology.

What can be done about this problem?

What should you do if your cat’s whiskers begin to fall out and break? The universal answer is this: the first and most important thing an owner can do for their pet is to calm down, pick up the animal and take it to the veterinarian. Under no circumstances should you try to cure this problem yourself, because most often mustache loss is a symptom, not a disease . In general, no special actions can be taken in this case - you should not comb your mustache or lubricate it with any oil, you just need to find the cause of this problem and eliminate it.

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Causes of vibrissae breakdown

They are as follows:

• Diet-related calcium deficiency. The food has an unbalanced composition or is simply not suitable for a particular pet. In addition to the whiskers, the claws also suffer, losing their hardness and becoming loose and layered. In addition to reviewing the purr's diet, the owner should stock up on vitamin and mineral supplements.

• Important! It is impossible for a mustachioed pet to contain powdered dairy products in its diet; this requirement also applies to shelf-stable goods.

• A small amount of water in the diet provokes the loss of mustache and other unpleasant diseases.
• Reactions associated with intolerance of a specific substance by the body (allergy). For example, a flea bite due to the presence of a protein, a food component, that is atypical for a cat’s body.

• If there are several animals in the house, their whiskers may fall out during fights between them: the cats find out which of them is the leader.

• Pathogenic bacteria and fungi, parasites (lice eaters and helminths): weakening the body, they negatively affect the appearance of the animal.
• The heating season and the dry air that accompanies it.
• Genetic structure - hairless cats may not have whiskers (or they fall off profusely).
• Frequent water treatments accompanied by washing with shampoo (if the product is of poor quality, the skin will be injured and peeled, and dandruff will appear).
• Disorders associated with hormonal levels. If the thyroid gland does not perform its function, the animal suffers from excess weight and brittle hair and whiskers.
• Malfunctions of the urinary system and kidneys (renal failure, urolithiasis).

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 almost invisible to humans

Table: main diseases that cause mustache loss

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

How can the owner help the pet?

If your pet has severely lost its whiskers, it is necessary to carefully examine it. Itching and skin diseases provoke hair loss and peeling of the epidermis in the sore spot. The animal can be especially bothered by head itching - as a result of constant washing and rubbing, the muzzle and whiskers will break off.

Itching is caused not only by food allergies, but also by atopic dermatitis, parasitic disease or lichen. The latter is extremely unpleasant due to its contagiousness, including to humans.

If focal baldness is detected, it is necessary to contact a specialist at the clinic. What else needs to be done?

• Firstly, the owner is obliged to establish what exactly the problem with the loss of the mustache is. Do the living conditions correspond to the normal existence of the animal - does the cat drink too little water, does it bathe often, is the air humid enough, what kind of food and shampoo is used.
• Preventive measures for deworming and eliminating parasites are carried out at least once every 4-6 months.
• With a cat, a visit to the clinic is necessary in case the pet is infected with a fungal infection or has a chronic disease.
• Be sure to review your diet and add foods rich in vitamins, minerals and healthy fatty acids. It is better to raise babies on natural food. If possible, buy holistic foods and premium food.

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With mycosis , round spots appear on the scalp, most often having an oval shape. The boundaries of such a lesion are always sharply defined and often surrounded by a small ridge. The middle part has slight differences.

Symptoms of scalp fungus ( pictured ) affected by microsporia are expressed in the fact that there may be several affected areas. The hair does not break off at the root (their length is up to six mm); even unaffected hair of a grayish and dull color may remain.

But with trichophytosis, the length of the remaining hair is much shorter. An important symptom of this fungus is that the scalp in the middle of the lesion is as if dotted with black dots - these are hairs broken off almost “at the root” (no higher than 3 mm). Moreover, some hair remains quite long and does not change its color.

The skin in the middle part of the lesion has a reddish tint and is very flaky. Crusts or bubbles may appear along the edge of such an area. The general appearance of the area affected by the fungus resembles a ring, and often such rings tend to increase in size, but the inner part heals itself. It is precisely because the affected hair breaks off almost at the base that this mycosis of the scalp received its popular name - “ringworm” . Often the affected areas become inflamed and red follicles are visible, which causes a persistent reddish color in these places.

Symptoms of mycosis caused by these types of fungus most often appear on the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, and pubis. In men, the chin, where hair constantly grows, or the upper lip (the mustache area) is often affected. In children, symptoms of fungus appear in different areas of the scalp.

Preventive measures

Will help reduce the risk of your pet's whiskers breaking off. Owners can periodically treat for fleas, worms, and other parasites. The pet is given enough clean, fresh water. The room where the cat is kept is regularly ventilated and moistened. A selected and balanced diet includes supplements of minerals and vitamins. The animal is vaccinated against infections of viral origin. the number of water treatments is reduced, and the detergent must be suitable for the cat.

Important! You should not self-medicate your pet - it can take his life, consult a specialist!

If the cat, despite breaking off its whiskers, remains active and cheerful, then there is no reason to panic. A consultation with a veterinarian won’t hurt, and treatment and corrective care will make your cat’s life even better.

How to prevent your mustache from falling out

For a thick mustache, follow these recommendations:

1. You can't trust cheap food . An unclear composition, at best, will simply not bring any benefit, and at worst, it will cause food intolerance and destroy the immune system.
2. Stick to your parasite treatment schedule . Remember to use anthelmintic drugs.
3. Process raw meat and fish before serving . Heat treatment will destroy worm eggs.
4. Avoid competition for leadership . Protect the kitten from aggression from older family members.
5. Be sure to include vitamins in your diet when feeding naturally.
6. Strictly monitor the amount of water consumed when dry feeding. Lack of fluid can lead to the development of urolithiasis.
7. Visit your veterinarian for preventative purposes at least once a year.

Never trim your cat's whiskers. Any length that seems excessive is suitable for this member of the family.

In conclusion, I note that the mustache is an important organ, the condition of which must be carefully monitored. Follow these tips and try to avoid causes that can harm your cat's whiskers.

Depending on the breed

The Sphynx may have no whiskers at all.
There are cats that have a greater tendency to lose coarse hairs. These include sphinxes: Don, Canadian, bambino and others. Some animals of these breeds do not have whiskers. At the same time, cats can still live in peace.

The Maine Coon has the longest whiskers of any cat.

There are breeds that are characterized by lush, long whiskers. For example, in the German Rex they are large and curled. In Maine Coons, these hairs grow up to 20 centimeters in length.