Animal care
Big Hair Loss in Cats – Causes and Treatments
Cats usually fill our homes with natural hair when they move, especially if we don’t brush them enough. Nevertheless, a big hair loss in cats can be a symptom that something is not going well.
In this case, it is best to go to the veterinarian before the problem gets worse. You may notice that your cat loses large amounts of hair if it has bald areas on the back, belly, extremities or between the fingers.
Causes of hair loss in cats
Hair loss is related to various hormonal diseases, allergies, stress and infections. by parasites like ringworm. Normally, the way in which the hair falls, the shape of the bald spot or the frequency with which it falls gives clues to the veterinarian about what may be happening.
Alopecia may be accompanied by other skin lesions as scabs, erythema, seborrhea … and symptoms such as vomiting, loss of appetite, itching, etc.
Stress
Excessive grooming is a sign of stress in cats, excessive licking in an area of the skin can cause hair loss.
Stress in cats can be due to many causes: a change in the home, a new cat or dog or a poor environmental enrichment. Chronic stress can lead the animal to perform stereotyping or disease.
Behavior is also an important part in animal health and that they can perform their natural behaviors such as scratching, climbing, hiding, hunting … it is essential to have a healthy and happy cat.
Allergies
In allergic cats itching is normal as a symptom: to relieve itching a cat can repeatedly lick the skin causing bald areas in the hair. Most cats with hair loss have this type of self-inflicted alopecia.
In allergic dermatitis, alopecia and itching are frequent signs, accompanied by irritation, peeling, or inflammation, among others.
Hormonal diseases
There are hormonal problems that cause hair loss. Generally, in these cases there are no itching and the bald spots that form on the skin are usually characteristic of the disease.
Thyroid abnormalities such as hyperthyroidism can cause excessive hair loss. More than 40% of cats with this disease have this symptom.
Skin infection
Certain parasites like bacteria, fleas, mites like Demodex or fungi can leave bald areas on the skin. For example, ringworm usually leaves rounded bald spots all over the cat’s skin. In these cases it is very important to isolate the animal to avoid contagion to other animals or people.
Some treatments for hair loss in cats
Before an obvious loss of hair in cats you have to go to the vet to detect the cause. Depending on the reason, one or another treatment will be applied, which will be very different depending on the problem you are dealing with.
It is best to act quickly, especially if it is a hormonal disease, to prevent it from getting worse; or if it is an infection, eliminate the parasite to avoid contagion. To do this, we will need medications prescribed by a veterinarian and comply with the treatment you specify.
As a form of prevention against parasites it is advisable to use antiparasitic, always those not based on permethrins, since these substances are highly toxic in felines.
To treat allergies it will be necessary Avoid exposure with what causes the signs of allergy. Whether it is a food or they are mites, the bite of an insect or a type of pollen. To recover the hair or cure the skin lesions, we must apply the treatment indicated by the veterinarian.
The causes of alopecia in cats are very varied. It is important that the owners of the animal are attentive to take it to the veterinarian as soon as possible. What are the symptoms? Read more “