Hair Loss in Cats Hair loss in cats is often a frightening sight for pet owners who immediately rush their companion to the veterinarian for a diagnosis. When it comes to the domestic cat, there are many conditions and diseases that can create a hair loss problem. Some instances are quite normal, while other hair loss in cats can indicate an illness that requires medical attention. Please note there are a lot of comments with photos with replies which may assist a visitor in diagnosing causes of hair loss or at least provide guidance on what to do next. When self diagnosing your cats illness it is best to start with the most obvious cause and work away from that point. Of course it almost goes without saying that beyond dealing with fleas and lice possible causes of cat hair loss you should see a veterinarian. This page is meant to simply give some guidelines gleaned from extremely reliable sources. I set out below the possible causes of cat hair loss in the order of most likely cause. Cat hair loss has many potential causes and tests may have to be carried out to assist diagnosis. Common Hair Loss Conditions in Cats. Loss of hair in cats doesnt mean the end of the world, as there are plenty of reasonable explanations why excess shedding takes place. Many of the following common hair loss conditions are reversible and sometimes avoidable when an owner learns of the substances or circumstances that affect their feline. Are you thinking about Hair Club and want to get some advice from a previous hairclub member Here are some reviews that you need to checkout. Bald definition, having little or no hair on the scalp a bald head a bald person. See more. Allergic and Irritant Contact Dermatitis. A cat may experience an allergic reaction when they become exposed to a variety of substances and objects that comes in contact with the skin. This may include metals such as nickel, rubber, wool, plastic, and chemicals dyes and carpet cleaners. Irritating substances, such as poison ivy, may also cause the inflammation that can lead to hair loss in cats. Additional symptoms include cat skin redness, small bumps and blisters, and itching. Atopy allergic inhalant dermatitisWhen a cat inhales house dust, pollen, or mold, an allergic reaction may follow. As a result, they may display redness, itchiness, inflammation in the ear, and hair loss. In some cases, an infection develops or a cat experiences hot spots. Mange. It is a particular mite species that causes the infection that leads to itchiness, scales, and some hair loss in cats when the condition is severe. Facial Alopecia. It is normal for cats to lose hair located between the eye and ear when suffering this condition. Lucy-shaven-hair-pic-for-smiths-682x1024.jpg' alt='Small Bald Patch In Hair' title='Small Bald Patch In Hair' />Usually, facial alopecia is seen when cats are between 1. Shorthaired and dark haired cats are the most affected. Flea Allergy Dermatitis. Many cats possess flea bite hypersensitivity, where an intense reaction to the saliva of the flea is experienced. Common symptoms include extreme itching, redness, scaling, and hair loss. An infection may also develop as a result of saliva contact with the flea. See Feline Allergies new window. Cats will lick excessively removing hair. Miliary dermatitis can sometimes be seen on the skin red lumps. Painful or itchy area and licked to relieve it. If an area of the cats body is painful she may lick the specific area. If it is a disease that causes itchiness the licking will cover a wider area. As cats lick a lot anyway, under these circumstances she will over lick causing a potential hair loss. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine refer to cat doing this as fur mowers. The areas licked help in diagnosis. Fleas, for example can infest areas around the neck where a cat cant lick and also at the base of the spine before the tail begins. If a cat overlicks there it could be flees. In fact I regularly flee comb the hotspots on my cat to check for flea infestation as we feed a stray cat. An allergy to pollen or food may in result in fur mowing the back and abdomen for example. Clearly licking is normal but when it results in hair loss it is not and their will be an underlying problem. Lice and matting might provoke excessive licking but in my experience matting doesnt. The first call then is to check for the simple and obvoius mentioned above. If they are all clear its vets work and it may be due to stress. Stress displacement behavior licking Feline psychogenic alopecia. Any number of reasons can cause stress in cat. But is it normal licking behavior. For sure cats like stability and routine. These are very important. For example it can take many months perhaps up to a year to fully settle in to a new home. In the meantime she may be stressed. Licking can be a form of displacement behavior some more on this subject new window. When we are uncertain we and trying to think through a difficult problem we scratch out heads ot bite out nails or fiddle with something Cats do the same. The classic is to lick their nose the human equivalent of head scratching. If it goes beyond that it can indicate severe stress and a habit. The route cause must be addressed. It will most likely be something that we have done to break the routine of destabilize the environment. These should be easy to rectify. It might be separation anxiety for example. On occasions I have given my cat a little bit of Rescue Remedy in her food to help with stress levels. A vet will probably prescribe a mild sedative and a change in lifestyle. And see next listing. Pregnancy and Nursing Hair Loss. When a stressful situation such as giving birth takes place, a cat may experience hair loss. Sometimes a loss in hair can surface as a sudden symptom, which can spread across the entire body. When the underlying condition is treated or is no longer a concern, the hair will grow back. Hyperthyroidism. Hair loss and strands that are easily pulled out are common symptoms of hyperthyroidism, which causes skin lesions in about 13 of affected cats. Psychogenic Dermatitis. The constant licking that some cats possess as a habit can lead to hair loss. Some of the possible causes of this condition include stress, boredom, and a reaction to changes in their environment, such as a new member in the household. Symmetrical hair loss is a common symptom. Ringworm. Several different kinds of fungus can cause the ringworm infection, which creates crusts, scales, and hair loss in cats. Cat ringworm is the same as human ringworm and it is transmittable from a cat to a human zoonotic. This is a reason why some say a cat should not sleep on your bed I totally ignore this. Malassezia. This is another fungal infection as is ringworm. The full name is Malassezia pachydermatitis. It is a yeast commonly found on the cats skin. Normally it does not cause problems. Overgrowths cause problems. Overgrowths happen when there are immune deficiences, bacterial infections and seborrhea. Star Wars Dawn Of The Jedi Wiki. Hair loss is common with this infection. There are moist red areas. Vet will diagnose with skin scrape. Treatments include cleaning with benzoyl peroxide or chlorhexidine shampoo then applying miconazole ointment. Diseases that cause hair loss in catsThere are 2. There are many photographs and ideas for causes of hair loss. Please take the time to explore the comments. The comments are over four or more pages to allow the page to load in a reasonable time. Not so much a case of hair loss more a case of never having it. Photograph is of a Sphynx cat copyright skithund Rare or Uncommon Hair Loss Conditions in Cats. Sometimes hair loss in cats is not easily detected or beyond the remit of the average pet owner and it requires the assessment of a veterinarian in order to receive effective and accurate treatment.