Cat with no tail :(?

Question

I found this cat, and its tail was cut off - ive had her for a month now and shes getting much better,what ive noticed is her wiskers are really long -are they growing to substitute the lack of tail to help her balance?

Im sure her tail was cut off - I was feeding her for 3 months, I wanted to catch her before the winter so the day I was going to get her she dissapeared for 2 days and when she came back to get fed she was awful-im thinking a fox got her

Answer 1

That's sad! Poor kitty! Whiskers don't help with balance. She'll need to learn how to compensate with the rest of her body. Her whiskers grow longer because she's getting bigger - either just growing or gaining weight from being fed better. I think the rule of thumb is that whiskers are as wide as a cat's body, so they can measure if they can fit into tight spaces, like holes and such. It's a safety measure!

Answer 2

I have never heard of whiskers growing longer to substitute for a lack of tail, but it sounds like your Kitty is doing well. How cruel it was that someone cut her tail off. She is a great cat indeed for doing so well after such a trama and her temperment (from what I can gather) sounds loving and normal. Cats are loving creatures and the more love you give them, the more they will give back. Cats are one of natures best bounce-back animals and I am sure she will keep her self busy. Remember to take her to the vet for her yearly check-ups. Animals need check-ups too, as do humans. A vaccine may prevent her from catching any diseases should she get injured in a fight, or catch worms.

Answer 3

are you sure her tail has cut off? Some cats are born without tails. Like a manx and other such breeds. And some cats just have really long whiskers. We have a siamese with 4 inch whiskers. She's kinda funny to look at.

Answer 4

Are you sure the tail was cut off and she wasn't born that way (that is called a Manx).

Some cats have extra long whiskers, some are shorter, has nothing to do with tail vs. no tail.

Answer 5

I disagree with the person who says that whiskers have nothing to do with a cat's balance. YES IT DOES!! I had a cat once, and my brother cut off his whiskers on one side of his face. He fell over everything, walked all lopsided.

As for your kitty, I doubt that the lack of tail has anything to do with long whiskers. Some cats have naturally long whiskers. I had one once named Catfish, just because of this!!

Answer 6

She may be a Manx breed. These cats are born without a tail. Cats needing their tails is an old wives tail. If her back hips are higher than her front end and she looks like shes hopping like a rabbit when she runs, she probably a Manx.

Answer 7

Hi Lucy...sounds like she found a wonderful family to give her the best love and life. Some cats naturally have longer whiskers than other. It could be due to the genetic background of the breed of cat. Pixie Bob's (domestic-like bobcat) have long whiskers, but also have a cropped-like tail perhaps she's a mix of this breed (see photos) http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061204094508AAnkBhF&r=w&pa=FZptHWf.BGRX3OFMhzFXVnA3xGp90kjfvCY4HaMRyJ7WT8zyCyypRNiPdnrTjZWylprNLs_ogSj0LzFdfQ--&paid=answered#RJYoXDu9A2XVqtfM2_s6_OH.YxQ7CnAFGc8J6J_jjOqo5ME3z.W or the manx cat which have a very short tail and they are also known affectionately as rumpies (see photos) http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=manx&btnG=Search

Answer 8

I don't think so. Cat's whiskers are not for balance, they are used as feelers. I've heard it said that cat's whiskers serve the same purpose for touch as our fingers.

Horrible about the poor thing:( Good luck and blessed be to you both:)

Answer 9

It's Okay if she doesn't have a tail. Just do what your doing now, love and take care of her. Sounds like you found her just in time.

Answer 10

no, the wiskers are used for when cats are wanting to go tho a hole in like the wall, the wiskers tell if the hole is too small for them to go tho! soo yeah.