What happens if the cat's whiskers are cut off?

– Allergic reaction. If the cat drinks whole milk and eats a lot of fish, the whiskers may fall out due to food allergies. An allergic reaction is usually accompanied by hair loss and discharge from the eyes and nose.

What happens if a cat's whiskers are cut off?

Through their whiskers, cats gain insight into their surroundings. The ultrasensitivity of the whiskers allows them to pick up even minor air currents. In other words, the whiskers act as a kind of locator: the animal senses obstacles in the immediate vicinity of itself, determines their size and shape. Certainly, the data obtained with the whiskers is secondary for a cat: first of all it relies on its sense of smell and sight. But in conditions of limited visibility (at dusk or when working in dense grass) vibrissae can be of invaluable help. Some authors have suggested that vibrissae help cats to keep their balance and equilibrium. This point of view was really expressed by experts, but has not yet received its scientific confirmation.

If you cut off these whiskers, nothing bad will happen to the cat, it will not lose the ability to orient itself in space. As we noted above, with it remains a sensitive sense of smell and good vision. The animal will certainly become more difficult to navigate, but, we emphasize, nothing critical.

Can the cat cut its whiskers?

These long "hairs" have an exact name – vibrissae. Pets use whiskers to navigate in space. The average length is 5-7 centimeters (in Maine Coons up to 19), and the number is 33-40 pieces. Vibrissae are rooted in the skin three times deeper than the tufts. This peculiarity allows sending information coming from outside to the cat's brain, helping to create a 3D model of space in the dark. They also help the animal feel any fluctuations in the electromagnetic field of the earth and "predict" the weather.

Can a cat have its whiskers trimmed and what are the results? The loss of the whiskers has the most serious consequences for outdoor cats hunting at night. Trimming the whiskers of a cat that lives catching mice, birds – means temporarily depriving the animal of the opportunity to fully feed.

The domestic animal will not suffer much. The sense of smell, general health will remain normal in female and male individuals. But to navigate in space the pet will become worse.

If the cat's whiskers are cut off, how will its behavior change?

Is it possible to go to an unfamiliar area without a navigator? To cut off a cat's whiskers means to deprive it of the possibility to run and jump fearlessly at any time of the day. The animal will be deprived of a very important tool for feeling full of life. The animal's behavior may become somewhat strange. This translates into an inability to use certain skills to their fullest extent.

1. Partial disorientation can lead to injuries if the cat wanders around the house at night. Worse, if the murky cat is let out for a walk – there will be more traumatic situations outdoors.
2. The pet may miscalculate the distance between objects, not jump to the end point.
3. It is possible for the pet to get stuck in the couch and other objects due to an inability to accurately relate the size of the opening to its dimensions.
4. Behavioral changes are observed when the animal takes the loss of the mustache hard: jitteriness, inadequacy, loss of interest in active games with the owners, lack of reaction to its name due to unwillingness to communicate.

To avoid such a situation, in advance, conduct a conversation with your child on the subject: "Is it possible for a cat to trim its whiskers?"

What does a cat need a mustache for?

Vibrissae are part of the sensory system and help cats navigate the external environment: navigate in the dark, sense the approach of a larger predator or prey, measure food temperature and even show their mood.

We've compiled 5 functions that cats' whiskers perform in the wild and at home:

To understand why a cat needs vibrissae, observe her when she's hunting. Especially when she listens for rustling sounds or prepares to jump. The whiskers at this moment are turned in the direction of the noise source and like antennas transmit information to the cat about its location and size.

Vibrissae capture the smallest vibrations of air and create a three-dimensional picture of what is happening in the cat's head, even if the hunt is held at night and visibility is very poor.

Ancient people associated the length and splendor of whiskers with dexterity and good luck in hunting. Although there is no scientific confirmation of this version, it is true that cats cannot hunt at all without whiskers.

Cats' ability to move in complete darkness and avoid even insignificant obstacles is not due to their good eyesight, but to the sensitivity of their whiskers. Cats can literally walk forward by touching objects with their whiskers and feeling the vibrations created by air currents.

The phenomenon of night vision of cats is comparable to the orientation in space of blind people. The animal does not see what is going on in front of it with its eyes, but finds even small obstacles with the help of other senses.

When jumping, cats' whiskers are down all the time. Therefore, a number of scientists suggest that cats are able to measure with them the distance to the ground and calculate its topography. Desert plovers do the same. But since they belong to a completely different group of animals, the theory is still under consideration. But cats and their whiskers cannot accurately determine the width of burrows or caves. This assumption appeared at the beginning of feline physiology and was based on the fact that the width of cat whiskers is the approximate width of the torso in its widest part, and a cat could orientate itself on them when it climbs the narrow passage inwards or outwards. But there was no scientific proof of this version and it was relegated to the category of myths.

What happens if you trim a cat's whiskers

If you trim its whiskers and eyebrows with scissors or trim them with a haircutting machine the cat will experience great stress and may become disoriented in space: it may hide in the far corner of the room, lose its appetite and interest in outdoor games. Therefore, trim or shave mustaches for hygiene or aesthetics are not allowed. And if the animal is still without whiskers, for example, after a fight for territory or a game with children, watch him very carefully.

Coordination and gait will not be altered. The animal will retain its natural agility in daylight, but will feel insecure at night.

The sharpness of the sense of smell will not suffer either. But if the food is in the blind spot, which in cats is the lower third of the muzzle, it will take a while for the animal to find it.

If the hair follicle is intact, the trimmed whiskers will grow back in 2-3 weeks. But if it doesn't, it's worth showing your pet to the vet. Usually the slow growth of the mustache is associated with internal disorders in the body. For example, endocrine disorders or a lack of vitamins and minerals.

Causes of cat mustache loss and brittleness

Cats' whiskers are renewed every seasonal molt. Therefore, sporadic hair loss is considered a variant of normal. However, if mustaches break or fall out in bunches, the causes may be pathological.
For example:

• Dry indoor air. Experts note that whiskers begin to fall out and break with the beginning of the heating season or a hot, dry summer. Especially if the cat likes to spend time near a radiator or basking in the sun.
• Insufficient fluid intake. If a cat hardly drinks any water, the blood flow in the body slows down and the whiskers fall out because of the lack of oxygen in the tissues.

• Frequent water procedures. Another reason for the loss of elasticity of the mustache can be abuse of cleansers, bathing in hard tap water or drying with a hair dryer, which is why it is important to follow the rules of washing the cat.
• Allergies. Moustache loss against a background of allergies is caused by an aggressive immune response to internal or external irritants. For example, to a new food, dust or household chemicals. As a rule, an allergic reaction is accompanied by sneezing, profuse lacrimation, skin itching and localized hair loss.

• Unbalanced diet. Lack of nutrients leads to slower metabolism and die-off of hair follicles. The first sign of poor nutrition will be a deterioration in coat quality. Cats that do not get enough animal protein, vitamins and minerals begin to suffer from heavy shedding and look ungroomed.
• Worm infestation. Infestation by internal parasites leads to intoxication of the body. Harmful substances spread through the body with the bloodstream and lead to an overall decrease in immunity, allergies and slowed transport of nutrients to tissues.
• Dermatological problems. If mustache loss is accompanied by flaky skin and severe itching, the problem may be allergic dermatitis or a fungal infection.
• Thyroid disorder. Thyroid dysfunction leads to changes in the hormonal background and affects metabolic processes in the body. Mustache loss due to hormonal imbalance is common in older cats (over 7 years old) and mature cats taking medications that reduce sexual interest.

What happens if you trim a cat's whiskers.

It is the same as cutting off a piece of a person's eye, a piece of his ear, pieces of his fingers, and a piece of his nose all at once.

What's the point? If it's for the sake of experimentation, maybe it's better to start experimenting with yourself. "If a cat has its whiskers cut off, it will not be able to navigate not only in the dark, but even in the light – such experiments can lead to the death of the cat. So shame on those owners who trim or pull out crooked whiskers to "improve" their pet's appearance. " quote from a kitty website … .

In a few days he will drop his hooves, their whiskers are a very important organ of perception, without them they can neither eat nor drink. and they can't feel a damn thing at all.

He could get lost in space. Cats with their whiskers can sense if they can get through or not. At night he won't come out of the mat or the box…

Well on purpose to cut off certainly it is not necessary, only for a cat it is not fatal – at one time at my kitten whiskers constantly broke, there were periods when any whiskers did not remain – nothing with it happened, played, in the dark went. for Cats more important "eyebrows" – here for it antennas by means of which they orient in space

If you cut off the cat's whiskers, it will cease to orientate in the house where she lives. And it will be hard for her to find her bathroom and her food. She will also be very restless and angry. And this will go on until the mustache grows back. You don't want to do that. I speak from experience.

You can read about what a cat mustache is for a cat on your own google. In principle, nothing too terrible for her and, of course, she will not experience pain from this too. global nothing will happen. will live and new ones will grow. she will lose her bearings a little. And if a stray kitty – may not be able to cope with running away from the dog. or may not be able to understand exactly where to squeeze in and where not … and other cats may be wary of such a "strange" cat.
For some reason, most young children get the idea of checking out what will happen … .
In general, cats really need a mustache! do not have to cut them … . It's not like you're 5 years old.

What would happen if a cat had its whiskers trimmed?

Whiskers or otherwise vibrissa (ed. : vibrissa) (lat. vibrissae, from vibro – oscillate, wriggle) – tactile mechanosensitive long stiff hair of many mammals, protruding above the surface of the coat. Cats have an average of 24 movable whiskers, 12 on each side of the muzzle. The whiskers are twice as thick as normal hairs of the coat, and their roots sit three times deeper. Usually, the whiskers are located in groups on the head (near the nose, near the eyes, upper and lower jaws, etc.). д.) Sometimes on other parts of the body (in many marsupials, for example, on their feet). Vibrissae are specialized sensory organs. They can perceive the slightest environmental changes. The base of each vibrissae is immersed in the hair pouch and surrounded by venous cavities. On the head, the vibrissae are innervated by the trigeminal nerve.
We all know that the cat is an animal capable of leading a crepuscular lifestyle. This means that its visual organs are capable of seeing in the dark. This is true and it is not. In the dark, a cat's eyes rest and its other senses, including its vibrissae, take over their role. They help her get information about the object close to it, they "investigate" small air turbulences around it, the vibrissae help her catch small air movements around objects. The whiskers are also peculiar "means of expression" of the cat's facial expressions. You can tell by their position how the cat's mood is. >If the whiskers are slightly turned forward it means that the cat is very interested in something and is studying it, or on the contrary, it wants to frighten its opponent. If the cat's whiskers are directed backward, it means that the cat is trying to take a defensive pose or to avoid touching some object, the touch of which is unpleasant for the cat.
Since vibrissae are part of the cat's navigational system, damaging them can cause the cat to lose the ability to navigate at night and just bump into obstacles. The animal may injure its eyes by bumping into thorns, as it will not have time to squint when there are no signals from the supraorbital vibrissae. It may get stuck in a narrow slit, as it will not be able to properly estimate its size. Therefore, it is best to keep the animal at home, under supervision, until the vibrissae grows back. Familiar surroundings If your cat has recently suffered from whiskers, it is better to refrain from global rearrangements in the apartment. Because of its difficulty in orienting itself, the cat has a poor judgement of distance, especially in low visibility (at dusk, for example) and, jumping from one object to another, can miss and get hurt.
SO DRAW CONCLUSIONS.

What are vibrissae?

Contrary to popular belief, vibrissae on the muzzle of furry pets have nothing to do with decoration. They are endowed exclusively with an applied, navigational function. During the evolution of such a tool acquired many mammals. Especially it concerns animals living in the conditions of limited visibility.

The word "vibrissae" is derived from the Latin "vibro", which means "to wriggle". The term refers to the receptors of the organs of touch.

Some breeds, such as the Maine Coon, have vibrissae up to 19 cm long. In Cornish Rex, they are small and curled at the ends. Sphinxes are sometimes born without whiskers, which does not prevent them from navigating in space.

One of the distinctive features of the tactile hairs is elasticity. This quality is achieved due to the conical narrowing of the vibrissae toward the end. They are rooted in the skin 3 times deeper than the wool, which makes it possible to activate the mechanism of translation of the information coming from outside to the brain. Each whisker has a separate "representation" in the brain, similar to the senses.

At the base of the vibrissae is a muscular tissue equipped with a large number of nerve endings. They are connected with a certain part of the brain. The vibrations of the hair excite the root, and the impulse is instantly transmitted to the right department.

Scientists argue that due to the whiskers, cats have a three-dimensional picture of night vision. In contrast to information obtained through hearing, smell or sight, whiskers contribute exclusively to short-range orientation.

Why does a cat need a mustache

Despite some resemblance to hair, it has no insulating function. The mustache's main function is to help the animal coordinate its movements.

What happens if a cat's whiskers are cut off? Would it feel pain?

No, the cat will not feel pain. Just like you don't feel pain when you get your hair cut. Whiskers (vibrissae) are simply such special hairs that convey a sense of touch. And they serve for very delicate orientation in space, especially in low light conditions.

Pain is a health and life threatening signal. When you cut your hair or nails (which are also derived from the skin), there is no threat, so there is no pain.

In this sense, the way the claws of animals react to cutting is characteristic. The end of the claw feels no pain. However, there is a blood vessel inside it, the bleeding from which is not very dangerous, but unpleasant for many reasons. So, this area is sensitive to pain.

Otherwise, cutting the whiskers of cats is absolutely unnecessary, but not as harmful as one thinks. In home life, vibrissae are not as necessary as in the wild. Compared to life in the wild, pets live in a world of macro-objects, so they have enough other senses and more coarse tuning.

Therefore, do not pay attention to the old belief that the cat will become seriously ill, as soon as she cut his mustache.

What happens if you cut off a cat's whiskers?

Vibrissae whiskers are used by cats to get an idea of their surroundings. Its super-sensitivity allows it to pick up even the slightest air currents. In other words, the whiskers act as a kind of locator: the animal senses obstacles in the immediate vicinity of itself, determines their size and shape. Certainly, the data obtained with the whiskers is secondary for a cat: first of all it relies on its sense of smell and sight. But in conditions of limited visibility (at dusk or when working in dense grass) vibrissae can be of invaluable help. Some authors suggest that vibrissae help cats to keep balance. Such point of view was indeed expressed by experts, but has not yet received its scientific confirmation.

If these whiskers are cut off, nothing terrible will happen to the cat, it will not lose its ability to navigate in space. As we noted above, it will still have a sensitive sense of smell and good vision. The animal will certainly become more difficult to navigate, but, we emphasize, nothing critical.