Cats can experience hair loss due to many different health issues; Hair Loss in Cats. The abnormal hair loss in cats is also known as Alopecia. Hair loss can be caused by allergies, fleas, mites, Ringworm, pain, or stress. Most cats are constantly shedding some fur and re-growing more. This hair loss leads to all the fur on your furniture and clothing but it’s normal.
Cats are known for their grooming behavior. It’s a normal part of how they keep their skin and coat healthy. However, when they’re itchy, painful, or stressed, they can do too much grooming and licking and actually cause excessive hair loss and alopecia.
Cats constantly groom themselves by licking or scratching. Grooming helps cats keep their fur clean and free of parasites. It is also a form of communication between cats, especially between mothers and kittens. When grooming is done excessively it can lead to hair loss and skin sores. If your cat seems more interested in grooming than other activities like playing or eating that could be a signal for alopecia.
Reasons for Hair Loss in Cat
If your cat is losing a significant amount of hair; Hair Loss in Cats, may be a symptom of pain, stress, or a health problem. The following point will help in identifying the problem
- Genetic Changes
There are some genetic causes of hair loss in cats. Autoimmune diseases, thyroid issues (hyperthyroidism), Cushing’s disease (hyperadrenocorticism), hormonal imbalance, and some kinds of cancer can cause hair loss. Rarely, older cats might get bald patches on bony areas, such as their ankles and ears, due to age growth.
- Stress and Anxiety
When cats are stressed, they lick and scratch obsessively. This behavior is known as “psychogenic alopecia.” It is most common in female purebreds with nervous personalities. Their wounds should be treated. Your vet can prescribe antidepressants or make changes to their environment so that they don’t pick at themselves anymore.
- Allergy
Allergies are the most common hair loss in your kitty. Your pet can be allergic to food, insect bites, medicine, dust, or pollen. To soothe their itch, they’ll lick their fur until there are bald spots. It’s simple to treat with medicine, but you might have to give it to them throughout their lifetime.
- Ringworm
A fungal infection called ringworm can also cause hair loss. This fungus damages the hair and follicles, causing hair loss. It can also be itchy, leading cats to lick, chew, and scratch the area, which causes bald spots.
- Parasites
Allergy Dermatitis is a skin condition that causes itching and hair loss, especially in cats. Cats can be so allergic to fleas that a single bite can cause them to itch and lose hair for weeks even though you never saw any fleas on them. Having fleas or mites such as mange and scabies can cause itching and damage to hair follicles, which leads to hair loss of hair.
- Pain
Pain can bring about excessive licking in cats. While this happens majorly on the belly due to stomach or abdominal pain, constipation, or even bladder inflammation and pain. Cats can also lick too much and cause hair loss over painful joints.
Diagnosis
When you first visit your vet for a dog with allergies, he or she will do a thorough physical exam, focusing on skin and coat and looking for evidence of fleas. If fleas are found, the vet may recommend an oral anti-flea medication. Your vet may also recommend blood and urine tests. Testing for parasites can include cytology, and also fungi cultures.
Treatment and Prevention
Pain is treated with anti-inflammatories and other pain relievers. Ringworm is treated with oral and topical medications. Stress can be treated with environmental modifications to help reduce potential sources of stress, as well as supplements, pheromones, and anxiety medication.