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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.
Common causes of cat hair loss
If a cat relinquishes a fight and turns to run away, it’s not uncommon for the chasing cat to bite them around the back and tail area. Once you’ve ruled out a medical problem, you can try to reduce stress in your cat’s life and make sure they’re getting enough of the proper nutrients. Our felines groom themselves daily, which shouldn’t be a cause for concern. But, if you are starting to see red, itchy skin beneath the fur or more frequent hairballs vomiting, it may be a cause for concern. If you think your cat may be ill, take them to the vet for an examination.
Itching and Pain
The signs of ringworm can be very different between cats, but you're likely to notice hair loss in irregular or circular patches, along with reddish patches of skin which may be flaky. Cats on an unhealthy diet will be deficient in essential vitamins and nutrients, which can lead to brittle fur and hair loss. Adequate volumes of digestible protein plus vitamins like A and E are necessary for healthy skin and hair. Owners who make their own pet food must be especially careful to use a veterinarian-approved recipe supplemented with a vitamin blend.
Skin Parasites
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.
Why Is My Cat Losing Hair on Their Tail: 10 Possible Reasons
Among the physical causes are certain diseases, as well as the direct action of external parasites. As for psychological reasons, stress or anxiety can be the cause of hair loss in cats. If so, work with your vet to find out what’s causing the itching and pain and create a treatment plan to manage the issue. In some cases, your vet may recommend supplements that can help promote healthy skin and reduce inflammation.
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.
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Pain can also cause them to lick excessively and lose hair in the painful area. Most commonly, this happens on the belly due to stomach or abdominal pain, constipation, or even bladder stones, inflammation and pain. Cats may also have skin wounds and abscesses from fighting with other neighboring cats or trauma.
Seek Veterinary Care for Fur Loss in Cats
While the above symptoms are commonly seen with hair loss, other symptoms may be signs of more serious diseases. Some cats may also vomit, become lethargic, or have changes in their appetite. Veterinary care should be sought as soon as possible, both in cases of unusual hair loss and when additional symptoms are present. Some cats (like the easily recognizable Sphynx) are bred to be hairless and are not considered to have alopecia.
Stress and Anxiety
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.
Some cats will be born with congenital conditions predisposing them to hair loss. These conditions are more common in some breeds, such as Burmese, Siamese, and Devon Rex, and are caused by inherited genes or ones that have spontaneously mutated. First, talk to your vet to rule out any underlying medical conditions. If your cat isn’t getting enough of the right nutrients, this can also lead to hair loss.
Your vet will also ask about any other symptoms you might be seeing, like any scratching, head shaking, behavioral changes, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, or urinary issues. To complicate things further, breeders often describe the overall appearance of a cat's fur as its coat. You will see this term used almost exclusively in breed standards, but you will also see "hair" mentioned, as in "longhair" or "shorthair" breeds or divisions.
You may also want to consult your vet about oral medications and supplements that can help speed up treatment and prevent the infection from spreading. With proper care, your cat should be back to its usual self in no time. The most obvious symptom of alopecia is loss of hair in either patches or all over the body.
A vet may also prescribe medication to relieve the worst of the itching. Nervous disorders that manifest in behavioral issues like overgrooming can cause feline alopecia, but these are tricky to diagnose. Once other medical issues are ruled out, this could be determined as the cause of your cat's hair loss. Keep your cat mentally stimulated and try to redirect overgrooming behaviors as soon as you see them. In some cases, behavioral modification medications may be prescribed by your veterinarian. Your vet will give your cat a thorough examination to determine what’s causing hair loss in your cat.
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