LoveToKnow Cats:AllComments

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Hi Lynn,

It sounds like he is scratching and digging at the area. You may have to get him a collar from the pet supply store to get him to stop. Like any healing wound, the area is likely itchy and thus he scratches and opens the wound back up. This is a problem with cats and can take some time to heal up. Keep putting any ointments from the vet on there and do your best to keep him from irritating the area further.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi my 1yr old cat has recently had a bald patch behind one ear went scabby and cleared up just left it bald. took him vet for castration. he came back instead of clear skin on the patch it was red took him back they said it where he was scratching. now the same behind both ears treating with antiseptic powder but neither are healing. Not fleas cause treated him with spot on flea treatment when he came back from operation.Never had problems before.

-- Contributed by: Lynn

Hi Pam,

More than likely it is either from the medication and illness (the renal failure), or it is from her overgrooming. Since she seems healthy, I wouldn't worry. Just keep an eye on it and if the area spreads or appears irritated, get her back to the vet.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi Sheila,

Any type of trauma does put some real stress on a cat's body. However, Stanley should be past that after three years. Since this occurs during the winter when you have him indoors, my suspicion is that he is either allergic to something in your house or that he has dry skin.

Allergies can be to just about anything. It might be to air freshener, cleaners, or plants. If it is caused by dry skin and overgrooming, you may want to invest in a humidifier to help with this problem.

If you want to know specifically if he has an allergy and to what, the veterinarian can do a skin test to determine this. Good luck!

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

A few weeks ago my 18 year old female cat lost a small area of fur from the outside of her back legs at the 'heel' joint. Today, on her right back leg, I noticed another chunk of hair had come off. The skin under these bald areas appears to be perfectly healthy - no sign of ringworm or anything like that. She is suffering from renal failure and on a course of Fortekor. She is generally in good health and shows no sign of distress from this hair loss and hasn't been licking the area. Do you have any idea of what is causing this and whether there is anything I should be doing to treat it? Thankyou.

-- Contributed by: pam

I have a seven-year old cat, Stanley, who experiences hair loss during the winter months )indoor/outdoor cat), primarily on his legs and surrounding his anus. A few years ago, Stanley decided to take a 'ride' in the clothes dryer (20 minutes on high heat). Midnight, emergency room visit, IV's, incubator, et al. Other than the hair loss, he is a big, active fellow. Could his not so amusing ride in the dryer have caused his seasonal hair loss and mangy appearance. Thank you so much for your time. Sheila and Stanley

-- Contributed by: Sheila

Hi Kelly,

As long as she doesn't have any other major symptoms, it sounds like she got into a scuffle somehow. She may also have been participating in some nervous or stress grooming and pulled her own hair out. I'd keep an eye on her and the patches for a few days just to be on the safe side, but at this point it doesn't sound like anything serious.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi there, I have a house cat and two days ago i woke up to find my cat had a bald spot on her head, which wasnt there the previous night. I thought she may have been up to mischief in the night (we have laminate flooring which for her is like a car on ice!) but this morning I found another bald spot on her head. It is not red or inflamed but there is a small scratch on one of them. She dosent seem bothered by them and is not scratching herself.

Do you think this is simply her knocking herself or could it be something more sinister?

-- Contributed by: kelly

Hi Angela,

Poor kitty. Sounds like she is very stressed. I would first make sure she can't get her head hung again. That could be a dangerous situation for her. Perhaps a crate instead of a wire cage would be better for her right now?

I think the hair loss on her head is from one of a couple of things. I may be that she scraped it off while trying to escape. Or, she may have a tiny cut or irritation from her Houdini attempt and have scratched at it and removed the fur. Since the area is not red or irritated in any way, this is most likely the cause.

It is possible it could be caused by fleas, but you'd likely see her digging a lot and see other symptoms. It might not be a bad idea to go ahead and treat her for fleas, however.

If she were losing fur because of stress, I think you'd see more than this one single spot, so while she probably is stressed, I don't think the hair loss is from that.

As long as she seems otherwise healthy, I wouldn't stress her out just yet with a trip to the vet. Just keep an eye on her and try to keep her calm. Feed her and talk softly to her. Approach a little closer each time you feed her too. Your eventual goal is to stroke her gently. Once she lets you do that, it is okay to let her out of the cage or room you have her contained in and begin to let her adapt to your home.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi. I have just taken in a kitten four days ago from being found in someone's garden abandoned. The lady who found her has been trying to feed her for the last few months but she's not used to people and quite scared. I was told to keep her in this big cage for at least a week to get her used to her new home. She's very gentle but very sacred just hides in the corner near me looking at me but she is scared when I try to stroke her. I came home from work and she had her head trapped in the cage. She got her head free from the cage but today I came home and she had a bald patch on her head. I don't know if it's because she pulled the hair out when she tried to get out or if she is stressed or has a disease of some type. It's kinda just a white patch of skin. She isn't trusting enough to take her to the vet yet because she would not let me get her in a carrier or in a car without being traumatized. What could it be, please?

-- Contributed by: Angela

Hi Michelle,

The most common cause is likely parasites. It could be either fleas or worms. I'd treat for fleas and then I'd also take a fecal sample to your vet to test for worms. It's hard to treat unless you know what type of worms they are, so this is a necessary step.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I have 2 cats. One started chewing his hair in the genital area about 3 months ago. It started with a small area and now he has chewed all the hair on his belly and inside of his legs as far as he can reach. It seems he does this all the time. His sister has just started it recently. Her bald spot is also growing. They are indoor cats. I do have a dog that goes outside only long enough to poo. Could it be fleas or mites. I see no sign of fleas in my house or on the animals. They all play and eat normally. Any help is appreciated

-- Contributed by: michelle

Hi Olivia,

The most common cause of fur loss and rashes is parasites. I would go head and check him for fleas. The next common cause is allergies, such as to food, so think about whether you have changed anything in his diet. If those two issues prove to not be the problem, you may have to go ahead and take him to the vet.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

see we have a black cat with spots of missing fur and a rash on his neck

-- Contributed by: OLivia

Hi Jenny,

Unless he is showing other symptoms and is otherwise healthy, I'd probably wait and just watch the area for a bit. It might just be a scratch or even stress. If you notice anything like lethargy or change in appetite, then you may want to go ahead and take him to the vet.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi Jenny,

Since you're pregnant and have a small baby, I'd go ahead and have this looked out, just to be sure it isn't ringworm or anything like that. Even though ringworm is not that big of a deal if you get it treated, it's best to make sure under the cir...stance. I'm sure your doctor has told you not to change the cat litter, but I thought I'd mention that too just in case.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

the bald patches on my ginger cat are just between his shoulder blades so not the easiest place for a cat to get at. there is NO scaling of the skin infact its pink and healthy looking. should i take him to the vet or do you think he has just ripped the fur out by catching it on something.

-- Contributed by: jenny

Hi, i have a 7 yr old tom cat that has had 3 coin size balding patches pop up over this last week. it hasn't been gradual and the cat doesn't seem bothered (no irritation or redness)the areas had a small scratch wound but this has healed. should i worry as i am 7months pregnant and have a 12month old son, i also own a yorkshire terrier.

-- Contributed by: jenny

Hi Terese,

The most common causes of this are either fleas, allergies or stress. Since you are in a new place, I would check for fleas. A previous owner could have had a pet with fleas. Also, if there is new carpet or you've changed anything like detergent, the cat may be allergic. Finally, he may be overgrooming due to stress over the move. Some cats get very stressed over a move. If this is the case, he will likely stop the overgrooming when he adjusts. For now, I'd probably just watch him. If you notice any of the following symptoms or he doesn't stop the behavior in a month or so, I'd take him to the vet. Watch for:

Lethargy
Extreme thirst
Changes in litter box habits

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I have a cat, who is 9yrs old. I have recently moved and ever since he has been licking his fur until he creates bald spots. How can I make this stop before he becomes completely bald?

-- Contributed by: Terese

Hi Hollypop,

Cancer doesn't tend to come on so suddenly. Typically, it will come on gradually and you'll recognize other symptoms. However, fur loss and skin issues can be a sign of underlying illness. It could also be something as simple as an allergy or fleas.

I would go ahead and take her to the vet. The main thing that would concern me is that she is so tired. Lethargy is the sign of distress in cats, although not to be confused with a cat that sleeps a lot, since they all sleep a lot. If she will not respond to you and does not want to play, then I'd be very concerned. I wouldn't hesitate since this seems to be progressing rapidly. I wouldn't rule out cancer, but it sounds like it might be something else. Please check back and let us know what the vet says and if she is okay.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

My cat has gone from fine to terrible in a matter of weeks. She was completely normal and now she has lost literally chunks of fur from her legs and backside and gotten very skinny. There is also a scab a little less than the size of a 5 cent piece right next to her tail. She has become very sooky and tired. I thought this could be cancer, she is 11 in october, does this sound like cancer? what could it be? please give me some feedback so I can research this further. Thankyou

-- Contributed by: hollypop

Hi Iz,

Poor Pumpkin. It sounds like she is miserable. I don't think it is the litter or the food causing this, although those are possibilities. The most common cause is fleas or other parasites. Since she has been an outdoor cat, that would be my first guess. I would treat her for fleas and treat your house as well. Be sure to give her a preventative to prevent future infestation too. Talk to your vet about what is okay to combine and the best treatment to initially rid her of fleas. If that doesn't turn out to be the problem, then I'd look at food allergies.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

a stray cat, The Pumpkin, that sporradically has been coming indoors for the past three months, alternating between staying in during the day and going out at night and vice versa. recently, i noticed that she has started to lose hair in patches about the size of quarters (top back of each leg) and tinier patches along the sides of her body. i put out a litter box filled with The Wordl's Best Litter, which i'm told is good, but The Pumpkin, does not seem to want to use it, preferring instead to urinate in the pot of a large palm. could she be allergic to the litter or to the food (i feed her wet and dry Purina)? i would bring her to a vet, but she is much to skittish and would not get into a case or allow herself to be wrapped in a blanket. any advice will be much appreciated. thanks in advance.

-- Contributed by: iz

Hi, Cailin,

I'm sorry to hear about your cat's fur loss. It sounds like some sort of pest might be bothering him or perhaps just itchy, dry skin. Anytime a cat begins losing fur and there isn't a clear cause, it is a good idea to take the pet to the vet and get a checkup.

It could be as simple as a food allergy or dry skin. It could be stress as well. Some cats react poorly to new pets or people in the house or any other type of change.

By taking him to the vet, you will rule out anything serious and can focus on some of the solutions because you'll be armed with a more thorough understanding of the cause. I hope the cat gets well soon!

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

my cat is a runt and he has a scab healing on his back with missing hair. I dont know how he got it. Also on his side he has patches of missing fur. He is most likly chewing it off. Why is he biting his hair off? He doesnt have any fleas or pests on him either.

-- Contributed by: Cailin

Hi, Deb. One thing that causes fur loss in cats is stress. Cats are creatures of habit and something like three moves in a year will really stress some felines. I have a fifteen-year-old Siamese that freaks if I move a picture on the wall. You can imagine what our latest move did to her. Her fur was coming out in clumps for weeks, but with a lot of love and attention and time she finally is back to normal.

That said, fur loss can sometimes indicate underlying health problems, so it is a good idea to get her checked out by your vet. Since she is licking a lot, it could either be the excessive grooming causing the loss or her skin may be irritated. It is a good sign that she doesn't have scabbing. The vet may recommend something as simple as a high quality cat food for sensitive skin.

You can also read more about feline hair loss in the article Questions About Feline Hair Loss. Keep me posted on how she is doing.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi, I have a f ew cats that are about 7 yrs old now. Recently, they went through many changes, most because of moving three times within one year. They have all been healthy, active and lovable. After my last move, I had gone out of the country for two weeks, leaving the most lovable one wondering where I was. Just prior to leaving I notice she was losing some fur. When I came back, I noticed it more and noticed she was staying upstairs a lot and not staying with me, like she use to. She has lost quite a bit of fur but not in bloody patches. I notice her licking a lot. Recently over the last few weeks, she has been coming around a lot more and staying close with me like she use to, with plenty of purrs. She has a few scabs, small like she has been scratching. Could this be a nervous disorder from all the changes? Her diet has not changed. Any expert info would be appreciated. Thank You

-- Contributed by: Deb
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