Outside of the thyroid, if cats have a hormonal imbalance and an increased level of steroids in the body, the hair follicles may die and with abnormal hormone levels, new hair may not grow back. Endocrine DisordersĪ cat losing hair may have hyperthyroidism - an overactive thyroid, which causes weight loss and other symptoms. Cats with infectious conditions like staph infections and fungal infections like ringworm may lose hair in the affected areas, Dr. This isn’t as common a cause of a cat losing hair as allergies are, but it does happen. The kitty licked at the painful rub so much that he had become bald around that bone. Bateman once saw a cat who had a fractured rib. The problem is, the cat licks away the hair, too.ĭr. A cat with arthritis, for instance, may lick at the achy joint constantly because it is painful, and licking helps relieve the discomfort. Sometimes, a cat will lick an area of his body too much not because it itches, but because the tissue underneath the skin hurts, Dr. Mites, food allergies and environmental allergies also can cause itching and over-grooming. Mange, scabies and lice also can make a cat’s skin itch - leading to the same over-grooming and a cat losing hair. In rare cases, a cat may groom too much and lose hair for psychogenic reasons, like anxiety after a stressful event but, it’s more likely that cats licking off their hair are itching from flea allergy, Dr. Sometimes, a cat may engage in compulsive grooming because of neuropathic pain from nerve damage in the skin. “It is much less likely that the hair is falling out and not regrowing.” “About 90 percent of those cats we see in our clinic are over-grooming,” she says. “These cats are licking it out faster than it can be replaced. The hair doesn’t just fall out the cats actually lick it so much that they pull their hair out. These allergic cats get miserably itchy if they encounter fleas - and many of them will over-groom as a way of scratching the itch. Gormly.įleas can bite and irritate any cat, but some cats have a hypersensitivity to antigens within the flea saliva. Allergies - Particularly to Fleas - and Itching and Over-grooming An example of G.G.’s hair loss due to a flea allergy. Note that this isn’t an exhaustive list, as alopecia in cats is a broad condition with many potential factors. These are six of the most common conditions behind a cat losing hair. So, if you notice hair loss in your cat, it is definitely worth a trip to the doctor.” “This is especially true with over-grooming related to allergies. “Generally, if we can reverse the cause, then we can get the hair to grow back,” Dr. Hayworth, of VCA Northview Animal Hospital in the Pittsburgh suburbs, explains that how well a cat losing hair can be treated and reversed depends on the underlying cause. The good news for cat parents is that this hair loss in cats usually doesn’t indicate a serious illness, and the hair can usually grow back, Dr. With a cat losing hair, will that hair grow back? The veterinarian will diagnose the underlying condition, Dr. The rest of the cat population, which is born with normal fur, gets acquired alopecia - which is a symptom of a disease or condition, and not a disease itself. Many adult cats also experience preauricular alopecia - thinning of fur on the skin strip between the ears and the eyes, which is considered normal in cats, Dr. For example, Sphynx cats are born without hair and never grow any.Īnother type of normal hair loss is pinnal alopecia – hair loss on the outside of the ear pinnae - which is common in Siamese cats but usually resolves on its own. Fiona Bateman, assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Georgia’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, regularly sees hair loss in cats at her clinic. First, let’s define cat hair loss First, what exactly is hair loss in cats? Photography by Ramon Espelt Photography / Shutterstock.Ī cat losing hair - also called alopecia in cats - can be complete or partial and happens in felines for a variety of reasons, the most common of which is skin allergies, experts say. Let’s learn more about hair loss in cats, also known as alopecia in cats. So, is your cat losing hair? What causes cat hair loss? In G.G.’s case the hair loss turned out to be caused by a flea allergy. The itch soon turned into thinning hair on her belly, at the base of her tail and on her hind legs. Unfortunately, the outdoor kitties and their mom came with a pack of fleas, and the pests took up residence in the fur of my resident cat, G.G., who had a maddening itch. One of last year’s litters of foster kittens brought more than joy and heart-melting cuteness to my house.
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