Hair Loss in Cats: 4 Reasons Your Cat Has Bald Spots
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Diagnostic tests may include skin scrapings to check for mites, fungal cultures to identify ringworm, blood tests to diagnose endocrine disorders, allergy testing, or a biopsy in rare cases. Parasites such as fleas, mites, and lice can lead to significant hair loss in cats. They irritate the skin, causing cats to scratch, bite, and lick the area excessively, leading to hair loss. Feline alopecia, the medical term for hair loss in cats, can be an alarming symptom that may cause concern for many pet owners. However, it is usually the symptom of an underlying condition that can easily be managed with treatment.
Address and Treat Behavioral Issues
This is due to a hypersensitivity to antigens within the flea’s saliva, which causes extreme itchiness and leads to excessive overgrooming by your cat. In this case, the hair is not actually falling out but is being damaged and pulled out by licking and scratching faster than it can be replaced. Hair loss in cats is almost never normal and can be due to serious health issues such as allergies, fleas, stress, pain, or ringworm. If you notice any bald spots or areas with shorter or thin hair on your cat, schedule an appointment with your vet so you can figure out what’s going on and treat it. We know our cats love to groom themselves; it’s part of their normal behavior and how they keep their skin and coat healthy. However, if they’re itchy, painful, or stressed they can do too much grooming, licking, and scratching and actually cause excessive hair loss and alopecia.
How Veterinarians Diagnose Cat Hair Loss
But sometimes, it can become excessive due to something environmental, like stress or allergies. In other cases, fur loss can be a sign of an underlying illness that needs treatment. It's important to work with your veterinarian to identify the cause of your kitty's hair loss.1 This guide will help you understand six common reasons why your cat might be losing hair. Some health conditions that cause hair loss are serious, and if your cat is losing hair because of itchy skin, she might be very uncomfortable. Your veterinarian will be able to determine the cause of your cat’s hair loss, recommend the proper course of treatment, and get your cat’s skin and coat healthy again. The best way to treat a cat losing hair depends on what is causing the problem.
Preventing Cat Hair Loss
Hairless breeds, such as the Sphinx, have been bred for this lack of hair follicles resulting in hairless adult cats. Secondary inflammation and infection may occur due to the constant friction brought about by the continuous licking. Treatment and management require proper identification of the stressor triggering the cat’s anxiety. Resolution of clinical signs, particularly alopecia, often come a few weeks after the hormone levels have been controlled.
Skin conditions
Excessive scratching and grooming can cause bald patches as your cat pulls out his or her fur. Cats are sensitive to changes in their environment and can easily become stressed, and chronic stress may lead to overgrooming. Stress triggers in cats include moving house, new pets or people in the home, loss of a family member (human or animal), and loud noises in the cat's environment.
Alopecia (hair loss) in cats
With the right treatment plan, cat hair loss can be managed and even reversed in many cases. Hair loss can be a symptom of underlying health conditions, such as autoimmune diseases or cancer. If you notice significant hair loss or other concerning symptoms, consult with your veterinarian for evaluation.
Ringworm (a fungal infection) is another fairly common cause of hair loss, especially in kittens. This fungus actually damages the hair and the hair follicles causing hair loss. Ringworm can also be itchy and cause cats to lick, chew, and scratch the area. Your vet will give your cat a thorough check over to find out what’s causing their alopecia.
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Treating Pain that Leads to Over-Grooming
The first step in diagnosing cat hair loss is for your veterinarian to do a physical exam. They may also take skin scrapings, cultures, and/or biopsies to determine if there is an underlying medical problem causing the cat’s hair loss. In any case, it is important to take cat hair loss seriously as skin conditions can be very painful for cats and can cause infection if left untreated. Taking care of your cat’s skin is essential for its health and well-being.
What is Cat Alopecia?
Jackie is the former editor of numerous pet magazines and is a regular contributor to pet magazines and websites. The appropriate treatment for your cat’s hair loss will depend on its underlying cause. Cats love routine, and anything that disrupts routines can be stressful for them. Not all cats get along with other cats or other pets, and that can be a source of stress too. Many cats are predisposed to anxiety and stress, which can lead to excessive grooming and hair loss typically on the cats’ back, around the neck or eyes. Treating alopecia depends on the cause behind your cat's hair loss.
Shedding may be abnormal (excessive) if it results in obvious loss of the hair coat and bald spots. However, if the shedding is not accompanied by bald patches or symmetric hair loss, it is likely the shedding is just a stage in the natural replacement of the hair coat. Try to identify if there have been any events in your cat’s life that may be causing them stress. See if you can reduce this for them, like keeping a new pet away for a while, or better yet, try to avoid any stress from the beginning as much as possible.
Occasionally your vet may decide to take a small skin sample from your cat under anaesthetic or to perform an allergy skin test to check for cat skin conditions. Alternatively, they may take a blood sample to look for underlying diseases that could be causing your pet's hair loss. While feline alopecia can be concerning, remember that hair loss is often a symptom of an underlying condition that can usually be managed with the right treatment. Understand that early detection is vital and increases the chances of a more straightforward treatment journey and a quicker recovery. Our feline friends depend on us, and by being attentive caregivers, we can ensure their optimal health and well-being. If an allergy is causing your cat’s hair loss, the first step will be to identify the allergen and eliminate it.
Any secondary infection can be treated with topical or oral antibiotics. Pet Insurance covers the cost of many common pet health conditions. Prepare for the unexpected by getting a quote from top pet insurance providers. Cats may also have skin wounds and abscesses from fighting with other neighboring cats or trauma.
If your cat is losing hair, it can be a troubling and worrisome experience. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help your cat recover from hair loss. If your cat is experiencing an allergic reaction, your vet may prescribe an antihistamine to relieve the cat’s symptoms. Your veterinarian will want to discuss your cat’s medical history, any medications or toxins they may have ingested, and any symptoms you have observed. Bacterial or fungal infections can cause hair loss, as can some viral infections.
Alongside hair loss, often there is obvious skin damage, swelling, discharge, and redness, and the area is painful, so your cat may not allow you to check it. Your cat has alopecia if you notice areas of hair that are thinner than the rest of the haircoat. This is different from shedding, a normal process that does not cause visible areas of hair thinning or baldness. Hair loss in cats can be treated with topical therapy, such as medicated shampoos or ointments, or with oral therapy.
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