We always want to ensure that our cats are well and healthy, as they heavily rely on us for comfort and protection.
Today we seek to answer the question, why are my cat’s whiskers curly? so as to alleviate some of the worries you may have concerning your pet.
Whiskers have a huge role to play in a cat’s life. They help them find their way through the dark and help communicate their mood.
Whiskers act as a radar and ensure accuracy in movement and protect them by helping them read the environment and act accordingly. Cat whiskers, even when curly, still function accurately and, on most occasions, should not be a cause for panic.
Common reasons that cause your cat’s whiskers to curl
Other articles you would like: Reasons Why Dogs Are Better Than Cats and Reasons Why Your Dog Nibbles On Blankets & What To Do.
Health issues
Conditions such as hypothyroidism and polycystic kidney disease can cause curly whiskers among cats.
Consequently, they cause drying of the fur coats as a result of dehydration. While some of these conditions are genetic, some, such as hypothyroidism, maybe also acquired.
Genetics
Cats such as the Cornish and Devon Rex typically have curly whiskers and hair. Breeds from either of these cats will most likely have curly whiskers.
Age
Whiskers tend to grow thinner and curlier as both the cats and hair age. This occurs in all types of cats.
Diet
This is an essential part of ensuring the health of your cat. Cats are more prone to having curly whiskers if you frequently feed them dry food.
Wet food is important because it ensures that your cat is well-hydrated. This makes the skin healthy and well moisturized. Dry skin on cats leads to the appearance of curly whiskers.
Nature of cats
Cats have an unpredictable nature, especially because of how much they like to play. This may find them rubbing against tight spaces or surfaces such as walls causing the whiskers to curl.
As a result, if it is not checked, it may also result in whisker fatigue which is quite a painful condition for them as it increases the sensitivity of whiskers to touch.
Frequent clipping
You have to be careful about how you go about grooming your cat. We would not advise you to remove or cut your cat’s whiskers.
However, if you need to, ensure that it does not happen frequently because it is sure to disorient your cat and cause confusion and imbalance. Frequent clipping will also result in curly hair.
New growth
Some whiskers tend to curl when there are new ones about to come in. This may occur in order to create room for the new whisker and to let the old one fall off.
Stress
Cat whiskers tend to curl inwards when they are stressed. It is important that you try and soothe them by cuddling them and creating a serene, relaxing environment for them.
The curly cat whiskers will return to normal when your cat is more relaxed.
Allergies
Allergies to dust and different weather and artificial elements such as chemical fumes in the air may cause cats to react by curling their whiskers. It is necessary that you take them to a vet once this occurs.
Length
Cats with longer whiskers will have them curling at the end. This happens over time as they continue growing and may, at times, even begin to droop due to the length.
Careful and moderate grooming may be advised in this situation. This can be handled by a vet.
Trauma
If your cat’s whiskers have been pulled or experienced damage by going near a hot object, they may start curling due to their delicate nature. You should ensure they get checked by a vet as soon as possible to avoid any infection.
What Kind of Cat has Curly Whiskers?
There are different types of cats whose coat features a wavy, curly appearance. However, these cats are rare to spot and are also highly prized. These are the four main cat breeds that have curly whiskers:
Selkirk Rex
These cats have curly coats and are very loveable. Other cat breeds with curly whiskers include the Devon Rex, Cornish, and LaPerm. These breeds share a common ancestry, and all their fur is curly in nature. Let us take a look at each of these 4 breeds in detail.
LaPerm
This cat is very active and loving by nature and experiences very low shedding of its fur. Its name was a result of its curly coat, which looks like it has been permed. LaPerms can live for up to 14 years at the most.
Selkirk
This Selkirk Rex has a maximum life span of 15 years. It is very bold and loves the outdoors. It is sometimes referred to as the poodle cat. They experience frequent shedding and are very playful in nature.
Cornish Rex
This breed can grow for up to 13 years. They are very sporty and agile in nature. They typically weigh less than the LaPerm and Selkirk as a result. They cherish attention and are very easy to teach tricks.
Devon Rex
These cats have coats with very light curls. This makes them very delicate and prone to breaking. They are usually very mischievous and love to wag their tails.
There are even more curly cat breeds at the moment. However, they are yet to be fully accepted by cat organization boards around the world. They will continue being added to the list once more research is done and finalized.
The breeds mentioned above are the only universally recognized cats with curly cat whiskers presently.
It’s our hope that with this information, you can now easily identify what kind of cat has curly whiskers.
WhyAare some of My Cats Hair Curly?
Have you ever looked at your cat and wondered about why you can sport some curly strands on them? This section of the article is intended to answer your question.
Cats vary in shape, size, and even pattern. We love all of them just the way they are. However, many times you cannot help but wonder, why are some of my cat’s hair curly?
This is a valid question. Here are some of the reasons for your cat having some curly hairs:
Any cat with a rex gene tends to have both curly whiskers and curly hair. DNA plays a huge role in this. Genetic mutation in cats is commonly referred to as rex mutations.
These mutations cause changes in individual hair or group of hairs resulting in the curly hairs you observe in your cat. Cats within the same Selkirk litter also tend to have both curly and straight hair.
The spontaneity in these rex mutations results in different types of breeds. Some of those breeds are yet to be confirmed and accepted but are in existence. An example is the Skookum and Tasman Rex.
Your cat may also be missing a layer of its hair. They typically have 3 layers of hair. The guard hair protects cats against rain; the awn hair is the innermost layer, and the down hair is typically very soft and can be found just beneath the guard hair.
The absence of one of these layers may cause your cat to have some curly hair.
It is also possible that the rex mutation explains, “Why are my cat’s whiskers curled on one side?”
Are Cat Whiskers Supposed to Be Straight?
Whiskers add more than just beauty to your cat’s facial features. Are cat whiskers supposed to be straight?
No, they do not. Whiskers are found in different parts of a cat’s body, such as legs and paws. However, they are more noticeable on the face due to their increased length.
There is no proven science that supports the claim that cat whiskers are supposed to be straight.
It is, however, widely believed that cats with straight whiskers have a greater sense of direction and movement compared to those who possess broken, bent or curly whiskers. Broken whiskers, however, always grow back straight.
Siamese cats are one of the breeds of cats that have straight whiskers. Nevertheless, this does not mean that whiskers are supposed to be straight. In the end, cat whiskers have a great role to play in a cat’s life, whether they are curly or straight.
Conclusion For “Why are My Cats Whiskers Curly”
Whiskers have the primary function of aiding cats in their movement. Each whisker contains at least 100 nerve cells to enhance a cat’s senses. Loss of whiskers may totally destabilize cats and affect their mobility.
Though it may be surprising and worrisome to see your cat’s whiskers curling, many times it is no cause for concern. We advise that you never cut or trim your cat’s whiskers and promptly visit a vet whenever you feel something is amiss with your cat.
Whiskers will shed off in good time, and new ones will grow back without placing the cat in harm’s way. Cutting a cat’s whiskers may create a stressful environment and even cause an infection if done the wrong way.
If you still feel uneasy, you may speak to a vet for more reassurance. Curly cat breeds make for excellent and intelligent companions whom you are sure to love.
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You can learn more about cats by watching “26 Facts About Cats That’ll Make You Love Them” down below:
