Diagnosis and Treatment of Hair Loss in Cats

Hair loss, technically called alopecia, can occur in cats for a number reasons. In some cases it's not serious but in some cases it is and your cat may need treatment. Any time you notice unexplained hair loss in your cat, you should schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to get it checked out.

Symptoms of Hair Loss in Cats

When cats experience hair loss, they usually just have patches of missing hair rather than losing all their hair. The location of the bald patches is important when diagnosing the cause of the hair loss.

In addition to patches of hair loss, you may notice other symptoms in your cat. She may lick or scratch the areas where her hair is falling out. The skin in those areas may appear red an inflamed. The skin may also look scaly or have some scabs on it.

Diagnosing and Treating Hair Loss in Cats

Cats sometimes have environmental allergies just like people do and they are a fairly common cause of hair loss in cats. Cats with environmental allergies usually scratch a lot and have red, inflamed areas on their skin. Veterinarians treat environmental allergies in cats with antihistamines and steroids, often given by injection.

If your cat has environmental allergies, you should also try to keep your cat away from the substances to which she is allergic. If you're not sure what those substances are and the allergies are severe, your veterinarian can do tests to find out what causes your cat's allergic reaction. Your vet can also give your cat shots the desensitize her to whatever causes the allergic reaction, just like people can receive allergy shots.

Cats can also be allergic to certain foods, though food allergies are less common than environmental allergies. Symptoms are similar to those in cats that are allergic to things in the environment, though. If you begin to notice hair loss in your cat soon after switching her to a new type of cat food, food allergies might be the cause. You may need to feed your cat a special diet. Your vet can advise you about the best food for a cat with food allergies.

Flea bites always cause some skin irritation in cats, but some cats are actually allergic to the saliva of fleas. This causes a condition known as flea dermatitis and it can cause hair loss, little crusty bumps on the skin and severe itching. If your cat suffers from flea dermatitis, you'll need to treat her for fleas and also treat the environment for fleas. Your veterinarian can advise you about the best products to use.

Another condition that can lead to hair loss in cats is known as psychogenic dermatitis. Cats may lick themselves excessively, leading to patches of hair loss, due to stress, anxiety or boredom. In this case, you should try to remove whatever is causing your cat stress, although that's not always possible. In some cases, vets recommend medication to treat anxiety.

Sources:

Pet Education. http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2141&aid=195. Causes of Hair Loss in Cats.