# Are there land mammals normally without eyelashes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 3, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-land-mammals-normally-without-eyelashes/519852 "2009-12-03T15:28:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2009, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-land-mammals-normally-without-eyelashes/519852/21 "2009-12-05T13:02:11Z")
I glad to see some additions to the thread. Please keep adding anything you can think of. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-land-mammals-normally-without-eyelashes/519852/22 "2009-12-06T04:38:24Z")
[Cat Anatomy | Diagrams & Images of a Cats Body and Skeleton](http://www.animalcorner.co.uk/pets/cats/cat_anatomy.html) According to this, cats do not have eyelashes. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-land-mammals-normally-without-eyelashes/519852/23 "2009-12-06T05:13:52Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > [Cat Anatomy | Diagrams & Images of a Cats Body and Skeleton](http://www.animalcorner.co.uk/pets/cats/cat_anatomy.html) According to this, cats do not have eyelashes. According to that, cats also “lack the shoulder blade bones”. So what the hell is the bone marked “scopula” (sic) on their diagram? It sure looks like a scapula, ie a shoulder blade bone. That whole page has been written by someone who wouldn’t know anatomy from their arsehole. I count at least 5 major mistakes, in addition to cats lacking shoulder blades. I don’t think we can trust anything it may have to say. ---
**Author:** ![Helix1047](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@Helix1047](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helix1047)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-land-mammals-normally-without-eyelashes/519852/24 "2009-12-06T05:20:34Z")
Im still not seeing the eyelashes on the cat. Like THESE are eyelashes. [http://www.istockphoto.com/file\_thumbview\_approve/6379312/2/istockphoto\_6379312-cow-s-eye-with-lashes.jpg](http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/6379312/2/istockphoto_6379312-cow-s-eye-with-lashes.jpg) Theyre hair growing on the edge of the eyelid, down turned to protect the eye from debris. When the eye squints or closes, they interlace to form a protective barrier. Cats don’t have this. They just have fur which is mostly undifferentiated and covers the entire face. This guy has face fur too, but he clearly does not have eyelashes. [http://akshatb.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/tarsier\_2.jpg](http://akshatb.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/tarsier_2.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![beo.thuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ab992/32.png) [@beo.thuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beo.thuck)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-land-mammals-normally-without-eyelashes/519852/25 "2009-12-06T05:24:59Z")
Peach fuzz lash at best - human too! [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/3476/3222286549_f028358540_z.jpg "22nd January - Well hello eyelashes!") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/32394307@N05/3222286549/sizes/o/) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-land-mammals-normally-without-eyelashes/519852/26 "2009-12-06T06:53:15Z")
> [@](#): > > Peach fuzz lash at best - human too! I’m guessing that’s someone recovering from chemotherapy, and the OP excluded cases due to disease. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-land-mammals-normally-without-eyelashes/519852/27 "2009-12-06T13:21:32Z")
> [@beo.thuck](#): > > Peach fuzz lash at best - human too! > > [All sizes | 22nd January - Well hello eyelashes! | Flickr - Photo Sharing!](http://www.flickr.com/photos/32394307@N05/3222286549/sizes/o/) It’s not what I’m looking for. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-land-mammals-normally-without-eyelashes/519852/28 "2009-12-06T13:51:39Z")
It’s only a sample of one, cat has distinctly longer dark hairs around her eyelids, in pretty much the same place as where humans have eyelashes. I guess you’d have to define eyelash pretty well before debating it. The [naked mole rat](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Nacktmull.jpg) appears to have no eyelashes. It also has the distinction of being the absolute fugliest animal ever. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-land-mammals-normally-without-eyelashes/519852/29 "2009-12-07T21:33:37Z")
**Fubaya** said: > [@](#): > > Hippo maybe? Doesn’t that stretch the definition of “land mammal”? Hippos are aquatic (ish). ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-land-mammals-normally-without-eyelashes/519852/30 "2009-12-07T21:45:45Z")
I’m eliminating animals like dolphins or whales. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-land-mammals-normally-without-eyelashes/519852/31 "2009-12-07T23:37:24Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Doesn’t that stretch the definition of “land mammal”? Hippos are aquatic (ish). I dunno, but they eat on land so it seems like it would be harder for them to live without land than without water. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-land-mammals-normally-without-eyelashes/519852.md?page=1)