5 Possible Reasons Why My Cat Is Losing Hair

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The most important thing when we talk about cat owners is to keep their cats happy and healthy. If you are a cat owner, there could come a time when you will notice that your cat started to lose hair or maybe you saw some bald patches on your cat. You have probably wondered: "Why is my cat losing hair?" We are here to explain what is bothering your cat. This is a common health problem in many cats, and there could be a lot of possible reasons why this happens, thus making it very hard for owners to find the correct reason. Here is all you need to know about hair loss in cats.

Why is my cat losing hair?

The medical term used to describe hair loss in cats is alopecia. Alopecia is considered a common condition in cats that can occur in any cat. This health problem has a lot of possible main causes. In most cases, cat owners have nothing to worry about, but you must understand that continuous hair loss could signify an underlying health problem that is bothering your cat.

There are a few possible reasons why hair loss could happen to your cat. Here are the most common ones.

1. Excessive grooming

Everybody knows that cats like to keep themselves clean and tidy and will groom themself. In some cases, your cat could start grooming herself excessively. The reason for that behavior is mostly stress or anxiety. In this situation, you can notice bald patches on your cat. The correct way to help your cat is to find a valid reason for what is causing her stress or anxiety.

If you are unsure how to help your cat, contacting your vet could be a good idea.

2. Allergies

The second most common reason for hair loss in cats are allergies. Allergies will cause itching for your cat, and she will not be able to resist but to scratch the affected area causing hair loss or bald patches.

Allergies can happen from something your cat has eaten or something from the environment. Either way, you will have to help your cat. Itching is usually accompanied by dry skin, and allergies will be the reason for hair loss. To help your cat, you must find the allergen and remove it from your cat's life. If you are unable to do it yourself, your vet can help.

3. Infections

Although this isn't the most common reason for hair loss, it certainly can happen. Infection caused by bacteria, yeast parasites, or ringworm can cause your cat to experience hair loss. Parasites such as fleas, mites, ticks, or lice could all be a reason why your cat is experiencing hair loss. You must provide your cat with proper parasite protection to stop this from happening.

Ringworm infection will cause lesions on the cat's skin, and this is a highly contagious state. With this infection, your cat will lose hair around the affected areas.

4. Side effects of medicines

Some medications can cause side effects, including hair loss for your cat. If your cat has a health problem that requires medication, you should never give any medication on your own without consulting with your vet. In reality, most of the problem occurs after cat owners decide to medicate their cat on their own.

For any problem that is bothering your cat, your vet needs to prescribe the correct medication that will suit your cat best. That way, you can be sure your cat will not experience hair loss caused by medications.

5. Cancer

Although cancer is not a common reason for hair loss, we must mention him. Some types of cancer theoretically could cause hair loss, but if you are unsure why your cat is experiencing hair loss or have bald patches, you should talk to your vet before you assume your cat has cancer.

What other symptoms should I watch out for accompanying hair loss?

Alopecia can happen in one or multiple areas on your cat's body. If your cat is experiencing hair loss, there are some symptoms and signs you should watch out for. Those signs can show that something else is bothering your cat.

Symptoms to watch out for:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Energy level changes
• Appetite changes
• Excessive thirst
• Excessive urination
• Conjunctivitis

If you notice any of these symptoms that start with hair loss, you should call your vet and schedule a meeting. That way, your vet will try to understand what is bothering your cat and help her.

How to help your cat?

To provide good treatment, first, you will have to find a reason why your cat is experiencing hair loss. If you are not sure, your vet can help. After diagnosing the right cause, your vet can provide different treatment for your cat that includes:

• Antibiotics
• Medications
• Treatment for parasites
• Medicated shampoo

Your vet could also suggest the usage of an Elizabethan collar to stop your cat from licking, touching, and itching the infected areas.

If stress or anxiety are bothering your cat, you must find a solution to remove stress from her life. To start, you can spend more time with your cat, play interactive games, offer her some good and tasty treats and see how your cat will react.

Recovery from hair loss

The faster you identify the reason that is causing hair loss, the faster your cat will recover. Depending on the main issue that is bothering your cat and causing hair loss, recovery for your cat can last from a few weeks to a few months.

Conclusion

Hair loss or alopecia is, in most cases, nothing serious to be concerned about. If you react promptly and start helping your cat, your cat will recover. Depending on why this happens, there could be a few possible treatments that your vet will explain to you.

World Cat Finder Team