Hair Loss in Cats

Visitors Ask Questions About Feline Hair Loss

Cause of Hair Loss in Elderly Cat

My daughter's elderly cat is experiencing hair loss at the base of his tail and at the back of his hind legs. Everything else seems the same with his eating, behavior, etc. What could this be?

~~Sue

Expert Reply

Hi, Sue,

Hair loss can be caused by many different things. Probably the most common are fleas or other parasites and stress. A vet would really need to diagnose the cause of the hair loss because it can be from so many different problems, but I can give you some tips. I also highly recommend that your daughter follow up with a trip to the vet, though.

I suspect because of the cat's age and the lack of other symptoms, that this might be a hormonal issue. If the hair loss were caused by fleas, the cat would bite and dig at the area and there would likely be irritation. Other symptoms can include any change in eating or drinking behavior, so keep an eye out for that. The vet will be able to determine if it is hormonal with a simple blood test.

I hope this helps. Please let us know what your vet says.

~~Lori

Older Cat with Severe Fur Loss

Hi,

I have a fourteen-year-old cat. She has had problems with hair loss on and off for years. Lately, it is worse. She excessively grooms her tummy and inner thighs, so she is completely bald. She has been checked by the vet and has previously used hormone tablets, steroids and has been treated for fleas and wormed. She vomits regularly, so we have tried changing her diet, but she has not improved. She also sleeps strangely; she has started sleeping on the arm of the sofa with her head pressed into the cushion while snoring gently.

Should we be worried about her changes in behavior? She last saw the vet five months ago and was pronounced well. Strangely she went to a cattery for two weeks last year when we went on holiday and her fur grew back.

Thanks!

~~Pauline

Expert Reply

Hi, Pauline,

I'm sorry to hear that your cat has had so many problems with her fur. I have a cat that is fifteen, so I understand your concern. Since the veterinarian has tested her and not found any major problems, this may not be an underlying health issue as is sometimes the case with fur loss.

Also, since she grew back her fur when she was in the cattery, I have to wonder if something could be causing her stress in the home. Excessive grooming can cause the fur loss in itself, and stress can cause the excessive grooming. In addition, her skin likely gets irritated from the grooming, which causes her to lick even more. It's a vicious cycle for her.

I would look around at what might cause her stress, and see if reducing that stress helps with her excessive grooming. The things that cause humans stress are also the things that cause cats stress. Here are some things you may want to look for:

• A new pet or human in the house
• Anyone leaving the house through death, divorce or even a child going off to college
• Another cat that may try to dominate her
• Sudden and abrupt changes of any sort

Some cats are more sensitive than others to changes. If you suspect the problem may be another pet in the household, then try separating her into a smaller area when you are away with her litter, food and water. Then, when you are home, watch the situation carefully.

Finally, I would be more concerned about the vomiting than the snoring. My Siamese snores at times and enjoys sitting on the arm of my chair. However, the vomiting is not good for your cat. She can grow dehydrated and it could be the sign of an underlying problem that needs to be treated. Since it's been five months since you visited your vet, I'd go ahead and take her back again. Be sure to tell him that in addition to the fur loss that the cat is vomiting regularly. You may even want to keep a log until your appointment so you can pinpoint how many times a day, how much she is vomiting and what the vomit is like. Yes, not an appetizing log to keep, but it may help your vet diagnose what is going on.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

~~Lori

Stray Cat Losing Hair

I have been unsuccessful in trapping a neighborhood cat to get her to the vet. She is not eating and is losing a lot of hair on her back, legs and belly. She is extremely standoffish and will only come around once every couple of days. I was feeding her exclusively for a period of months and have watched her health deteriorate. She used to let me pet her. What could be causing her hair loss? The other neighborhood cats do not have this problem. Is there anything I can do?

~~Tara

Expert Reply

Hi Tara,

It can be upsetting when you notice a deterioration in the health of a cat you care about. Without being able to take her to the vet, it is hard to say exactly what could be wrong with her. There are many things that can cause hair loss in felines.

• Stress
• Fleas or ticks
• Mange

Those are just a few causes. Hair loss can sometimes be a symptom of more serious illnesses. Since she is not eating, I would be a little more worried about her. Is she losing weight? It's possible another neighbor is feeding her and that is why she is not eating at your house. There are some good tips for trapping cats in the article on feral cats. If there is any way you could catch her and take her to the vet, that would be the best course of action. Right now, you can't even trap her and treat her for fleas if that is the problem. Please let us know how it goes with her. I hope you are able to capture her soon and get her the treatment she needs before her condition worsens.

~~Lori

Hair Loss on Ears

My kitten has a circular bald spot on the back of his ear. It also appears his ear tips are thinning. He is six months old. Is this normal?

~~Daphne

Expert Reply

Hi, Daphne,

There are multiple reasons that a cat might lose hair. The two main reasons are heredity and environment. If the hair loss is hereditary, there isn't really anything you can do to minimize the loss. As long as the cat shows no irritation in the balding areas and isn't scratching or digging, it isn't anything that will harm the cat. Environmental factors can come from several sources:

• Stress, such as a new pet in the household or moving to a new place.
• Fleas or pests that irritate the area and cause the cat to scratch the fur off.
• Mange (skin will usually cover over the bald areas with a grayish-yellowish crust).

Fur loss can sometimes indicate underlying health problems, so it is a good idea to get him checked out by your vet. The vet may recommend something as easy as a high quality cat food for sensitive skin.

Good luck! Let us know how he's doing.

~~Lori