Can chipmunks grow their tails back?

[Flaxbee]

The skin/fur along the cartilage that forms the tail - will that regenerate? Our neighbor's cat had treed a chipmunk; I got the cat away (he's inside now) and the poor little 'munk is still up in the tree, terrified to come down. I think he's OK except the last half of the fur/skin covering his tail is gone (and the cat had blood on its nose, so I'm pretty sure the cat caused the damage). So there's tail/cartilage for an inch or so at the end, then the rest of the tail looks "normal" and the chipmunk seems OK, from what I can tell (moving OK, all other limbs intact, I can't see any puncture wounds but then again the little guy is in a tree, probably about 5 feet above my head).


So - my question is - do you think the little guy will be OK? Will the skin/fur grow back? I am worrying.

[Neoma]

1. Lizards can..

But uhm, gross. I don't think chipmunks can.

[pokerfan]

4. mammals are pretty pathetic when it comes to regeneration

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regeneration_(biology)

[dropkickpa]

2. Tail degloving

If he's lucky, it'll granulate in and heal, but no fur. Porr guy!

[Flaxbee]

3. poor little guy, I feel so bad for him. I read that their tails are

supposed to 'release' as his did as a safety mechanism just in case they DO get caught by a predator... I jut hope he doesn't have a hard time healing.

:cry: