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Combing of the hair to identify lice, mites, or fleas and examination of the hair at a microscopic level may provide information on the cause. Veterinary staff may also draw blood and complete a full blood panel and a variety of tests for common infections. X-rays or other diagnostic imaging techniques may be employed to look for internal causes like cancer.
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Always speak to your vet if you have any worries about your pet’s health. We know our cats love to groom themselves; it’s part of their normal behavior and how they keep their skin and coat healthy. However, if they’re itchy, painful, or stressed they can do too much grooming, licking, and scratching and actually cause excessive hair loss and alopecia. If your cat’s hair loss is due to fleas, other parasites, or a fungal infection like ringworm, your vet will recommend flea and/or parasite control products or an antifungal treatment. Determining the cause of alopecia may require extensive diagnostic testing because of the numerous potential causes of the condition.
Cat hair loss treatments
If the cat has fleas or ticks, owners must clean their homes, including the cat's bedding, toys, and other kitty gear. Your veterinarian can help you determine a long-term solution to flea control and prevention to help your cat stay pest-free in the future. Below, you’ll find a quick breakdown of the most common situations in which a cat may lose their hair.
Possible Reasons for a Cat’s Hair Loss
Of course, like in cases with allergies, your cat may inadvertently end up licking away the hair too. This can happen with conditions like arthritis or even injuries and medical conditions, such as a urinary tract issue, when they excessively lick their genital area. Afterwards, allergic skin disease is often established as a diagnosis of exclusion. Referral to a veterinary dermatologist may also be considered for specific allergy testing or immunotherapy.
Answer a few questions about your pet's symptom, and our vet-created Symptom Checker will give you the most likely causes and next steps. So, go ahead, ask us about weird poop, bad breath, and everything in between. Sign up for product updates, offers, and learn more about The Wildest, and other Mars Petcare brands. See our privacy statement to find out how we collect and use your data, to contact us with privacy questions or to exercise your personal data rights. We all know that look of discomfort on our furry friend’s face when they can’t stop scratching….
By establishing a proper diagnosis and starting adequate treatment, your cat’s hair should grow back with time. Keeping up with regular flea and mite treatment and prevention is crucial, and your vet can recommend the most appropriate and approved product for your cat. There are several treatments for allergies in cats, including management with medication such as low-dose steroids, as well as dietary management if it is a suspected food allergy. Hydrolyzed proteins or novel protein diets are the best dietary management methods; your vet can create a diet plan.
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If the hair loss and skin issues improve, then you’ve identified the food allergen your cat needs to avoid. You can keep your cat on the hydrolyzed diet or look at food options with novel proteins. When an allergic reaction is the cause of skin discomfort and hair loss, this category of drug will be used to reduce the body’s response to the allergen. This treatment is considered low risk, and may be combined with other therapies used to treat alopecia even if an allergic reaction has not been diagnosed.
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Most of the time, your cat’s hair loss is a sign of an underlying issue, skin parasites, allergic skin disease, pain, medical condition, stress, and more. Once that issue is identified, it can be treated, and you can have a healthy, fluffy cat in no time. Consult with your vet as soon as you notice any skin changes or hair loss in your feline and before the signs get worse so your cat can receive adequate treatment. Some health conditions that cause hair loss are serious, and if your cat is losing hair because of itchy skin, she might be very uncomfortable. Your veterinarian will be able to determine the cause of your cat’s hair loss, recommend the proper course of treatment, and get your cat’s skin and coat healthy again.
Your vet will be able to advise you on the best course of action for treating your cat’s hair loss and getting them back to their healthy selves again. Allergies, flea infestations, fungus infections, and hormonal imbalances are all common causes of hair loss in cats. Ringworm can be highly contagious for humans in the home too, so if you spot any signs in your cat, it's important to consult a vet as soon as possible to prevent further spread.
If you see changes in your cat’s coat or skin, make an appointment with your vet. The following are just a few of the most common causes of cat hair loss. Some of these conditions are serious, which is why hair loss should always be investigated by your veterinarian. There are also calming food options on the market by brands such as Royal Canin or Science Diet that might help. If further therapy is needed, talk to your vet about putting your cat on an anti-anxiety medication, such as Fluoxetine or Paroxetine.
Be sure that any preventative you use is specifically formulated for cats, as many canine products are toxic to cats. It's also important to see your veterinarian for routine wellness exams and baseline blood work to monitor for any changes in thyroid levels or endocrine diseases. Outside these specific times, if the cat hair loss occurs abundantly, you should take note and consult with a professional. It’s essential that they diagnose correctly, because there are some contagious causes of feline alopecia. It is very unusual (except in breeds genetically programmed to have no hair, such as the Rex breeds) for a cat to lose their hair for no reason. Thus if you discover bald patches on your cat, you will have to determine the underlying cause of the hair loss.
It may be an allergy to fleas, food, chemicals around the home, or even dust. It can be tricky to pinpoint what exactly is causing an allergy, but they often manifest in skin issues such as itchiness and hair loss, as well as gastrointestinal issues. In addition, bald patches caused by allergies are often accompanied by other signs like itchiness, so taking your cat to the vet and explaining their symptoms is the best course of action. This leads to excessive hair loss in the affected area and the formation of bald spots or scabs on the cat’s tail. If your cat is showing signs of having a stud tail, you’ll need to take it to the vet for treatment. Your vet may recommend specialized shampoos and medicated creams to help manage the condition and prevent further hair loss.
It’s important to use gloves, wash your hands, and sanitize surfaces, as the spores from the environment may cause further spread of the fungus. When skin infection strikes, topical treatments are the most common solution, though you may also need to give your cat oral antifungal drugs or medicated baths. Your vet will be able to prescribe the best combination of treatments to clear up the infection. Usually, most of the cat’s body is affected, but only the base of the tail may be affected. The links between cancer and feline paraneoplastic alopecia aren’t well understood, but there are some trends that veterinarians have discovered. For example, pancreatic cancer is more likely to have this type of alopecia as a sign.
If medicinal assistance is required, the drugs Fluoxetine or Paroxetine might be prescribed. If this is left untreated, it can turn into a condition known as “psychogenic alopecia,” which makes the grooming compulsive in nature. Keep your cat on a regular topical or oral flea medication to reduce this risk significantly. If you do not want to use this type of medication, an all-natural flea collar may be a good solution instead. Your vet can give you more information about flea prevention choices. Cats shed a little every day and go through two major shedding cycles per year in most instances.
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