A cat burning his whiskers is always a regrettable and painful experience for both the cat and its owner. Many cat owners are often left feeling confused about this ugly experience. So, what do you do if your cat burns his whiskers?
Submerge the burn area in cold water or press a wet cloth against the painful area and intermittently pour cold water over it. Apply a cold compress because if the whiskers get burnt, the cat’s face will also likely be burnt.
This article will examine what happens if cats burn their whiskers. We will also provide the necessary tips on caring for cats that have lost their whiskers. Finally, we supply answers to frequently asked questions about cats’ whiskers.
Before all that, let’s discuss the five functions of cats’ whiskers.
Functions of Cats’ Whiskers
Whiskers are part of normal cats’ anatomy. You’ll hardly see a cat without whiskers. Apart from making your feline look cute, whiskers serve other purposes.
The following highlights five different functions of a cat’s whiskers:
Sensory Tool
Looking at a cat’s whiskers, you’ll be forgiven for thinking whiskers are nothing but hair.
Whiskers are sensory tools for cats. They understand their environment better with it. Also, they are known as vibrissae.
The hair follicles of whiskers are packed with a lot of nerves. At the tip of whiskers, you’d find an organ called a proprioceptor.
The proprioceptor makes them very sensitive to any form of vibration.
Natural Built-in tape
If you are quite observant, you would have noticed your feline gauge the size of an opening through the use of his head.
Cats’ whiskers function as a natural built-in tape. They immediately realize if a space is big enough for them to pass through.
Once a cat’s head can accommodate a tight space, it means its whole body will go through.
Vision aids
Cats’ close-up vision isn’t the best. They find it difficult to see objects closer than 30cm. That’s where their whiskers come in!
Cats touch very close objects with their whiskers to determine their position, size, and texture.
You may also be surprised about how well your feline can navigate its way through relative darkness. Whiskers are responsible for this!
They move around without bumping into anything through the aid of their whiskers.
Emotional barometer
You can peek at your cat’s emotional state by merely looking at the position of its whiskers.
If the whiskers are rigid and pulled around their face, it means your feline feels threatened about something.
If the whiskers are relaxed, it simply means your cat is happy. If the whiskers are pointed forward, your feline is curious about something.
Protection
Whiskers offer great protection to cats. When dust or a speck falls on a whisker below the eye, the cat will react by shaking its head to remove the speck of dust.
The reaction of the cat above protects the eye from potential injury. Whiskers respond when touched by the smallest particle.
If a feline approaches a narrow space between two chairs in the living room, the whiskers would help it to determine if he can fit through the passage.
What Happens If A Cat Burns Its Whiskers
When a cat burns its whiskers, sensory balance and coordination become impaired. Cats use whiskers to feel out their location.
Imagine a blind human walking around without a stick; how easy does that sound? Whiskers are just like that stick; they use them to avoid obstacles.
The good thing is that whiskers grow back on their own. When your cat burns its whiskers, never try to trim the frizzled part of the whiskers.
You are hurting your feline the more by trimming its whiskers. The more you trim, the more your feline loses balance and coordination.
Your cat’s face will also likely be affected if your cat burns his whiskers, leave the whiskers alone and pay attention to the face.
Does It Hurt A Cat If Their Whiskers Get Burned
Oh! Yeah! A cat becomes hurt if it burns its whiskers in the fire. The whiskers are not only affected, but areas of the face also become affected.
If you have ever been in a fire incident, you would be able to empathize with a cat if it burns its whiskers in the fire.
If a cat loses its whiskers in fire, he immediately becomes disoriented. A cat’s whiskers play a vital role in maintaining balance and coordination.
The psychological pain a cat feels without his whiskers is greater than the physical pain. Cats are farsighted; they can’t see close objects.
With the whiskers gones, your dear feline may start bumping into objects during the day and night.
Do not ever try to trim your cat’s whiskers if they become burned or damaged.
How Long Does It Take For Cats’ Whiskers To Grow Back
The whiskers grow back between 6 weeks and three months. Apart from getting burned in the fire, cats regularly shed off their whiskers.
On average, it takes longer for a senior cat’s whiskers to grow back compared to young cats.
It is also not uncommon for a sick cat to grow back their whiskers until they are cured. Different circumstances affect the rate at which pets grow back their whiskers.
The three main factors that impact the rate at which cats grow back their whiskers include:
● Diet
● Breed
● Health problems
Provide your feline with a nutritious diet when recovering from the loss of its whiskers. This would speed up the recovery rate.
A cat’s whiskers will always grow back, provided the follicles below the skin are not damaged. Once damaged, there’s no hope of it growing back.
If your feline has burned or damaged its whiskers, keep it indoors, especially at night. It has no sensors to warn it against predators.
Can Cats Recover From Damaged Whiskers
Yes! A cat will recover from damaged whiskers, especially if he lives indoors. Cats are known to shed their whiskers periodically. When they shed their whiskers, it grows back again.
An outdoor cat will likely not recover from damaged whiskers due to its inability to protect itself.
Outdoor cats are exposed to many dangers. Without the whiskers, they are vulnerable to attacks by predators.
If the whisker follicles are burned or damaged during trauma, the whiskers will not grow back.
Kittens recover from damaged whiskers faster than adult cats. To speed up the rate of recovery, feed your feline with healthy foods.
Can A Cat Walk Without Whiskers
A cat can walk without whiskers, but research has shown that cats without whiskers have difficulty walking straight.
Whiskers are crucial to the existence of a cat. They feel lost without them. A cat without whiskers would easily get stuck in different parts of the house.
Imagine walking around with your eyes closed; how would you feel about that? Sad and frustrated, I guess! The same thing applies to cats.
If you’ve got a cat without whiskers, try to keep an eye on him in case it gets stuck or falls into trouble.
How Long Do Cats Burns Take To Heal
Superficial burns in cats typically heal between 3 to 4 days with minimal care. While second-degree burns will take a couple of weeks to heal.
A third-degree burn is the worst kind of burn a cat could suffer. It results in loss of sensation in the affected part. It leaves permanent scarring. It takes about 3 to 4 months to heal on average.
Cats experience loss of fluids with a third-degree burn. This is often treated by replacing the lost fluid with electrolytes.
This kind of burns injury often requires surgical intervention such as skin grafting. If the burns are infected, your vet will order some tests and then prescribe antibiotics.
What Can I Put On My Cat’s Burn
You can apply aloe vera to the burn areas. Aloe vera has soothing and healing properties. Do not apply any form of an ointment; it may likely make things worse.
If it’s a second-degree burn, do not attempt to manage it by yourself. Your cat should be seen by a vet.
Before taking your cat to the vet, put a sort of wet cloth on the burn areas to provide a bit of comfort for your feline before seeing the vet.
Many things around the house can accidentally burn your feline; endeavor to follow many precautions as possible to protect your cat from lasting harm.
My name is James, and welcome to FAQCats!
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