There are multiple causes for why cats losing hair. Unfortunately, the cause of a cat chewing or scratching of its fur is quite varied, and some attribute it to stress due to new situations or environments, there are different reasons for it.
#Flea-bite hypersensitivity
#Environmental Allergies (seasonal changes, dust allergy)
#Other skin parasites (e.g., mites)
#Food allergies and Food balance
#Stress
#OCD or sarcoptic mange
One of the most straightforward problems to detect is Flea hypersensitivity.
Identifying the little creepers on your Cat can be tricky. When checking out your cat for fleas, use a flea comb to brush through the fur, especially neck, and tail area.
If no flea or flea dirt been found and the cat is continuously scratching a treatment with flea medication would be the best solution, and you should discuss it with a veterinarian.
If you have more than one cat, you need to treat all cats even they do not show signs. This way you can be sure to eradicate all the little intruders into your cat’s space.
Download our free ebook “For the love of cats” Click here
#Flea collars they come in different colours and smells,
#Flea shampoo
#Flea powder
#Flea fluid Etc.
You will find a great range of flea collars in every online store we are reasonably priced. My favourite one is the one from Seresto. It works well and it doesn’t smell so bad.
They are pleasant for cats and owners and they also look right, there is no need than to have two collars around the neck of your cat.
Other skin parasites can cause pruritis, and this comes from other skin parasites. Cats usually who are both outdoor and indoor cats might be more likely infested with these pests.
How do you find mites in your cat’s fur? You can see with multiple skin scrapings or hair combings; it is happening that false-negative results occur when tested. In confirmed, suspected cases include a topical, broad-spectrum parasiticide or potentially lime sulfur dip.
Do not treat your cat without proper medication from your veterinarian. Please ask your Vet for proper advise.
A cats diet affects much of its life, and how it feels, it changes how its joints are, how their fur looks, their bowel movements etc.
An essential factor to consider is if your cat is getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals and if your cat is also mainly eating wet food or dry food you have to find a balance.
Cats health is to determine what the cat is eating. When you look at the daily discharge (poop)of your cat you will see how healthy your cat is. Have a look from time to time when you clean the cat litter box.
If the Poop of your cat is hard and dry than for sure, your cat does not get enough fluid. If your cat has diarrhoea than some food is not in the balance with her stomach. A Balanced Diet for your cat is essential for a healthy fur and skin.
A lack of nutrients can cause itchiness because of dry skin and lose hair.
Unfortunately, as we humans can have food allergies so do our pets, food allergies also are known as cutaneous adverse food reactions. The appearance of food allergies is the same familiar symptoms as with fleas or flea-bite sensitivity. They appear around the neck and face with hair loss or scabs.
Different cats have different reactions, and they might also have on different parts of the body hair loss, scabs, diarrhoea and or vomiting.
A common belief is that food allergies appear after a diet change. Some of the most allergy-causing symptoms in cat food are fish, beef, and dairy. Much lower on the list are Corn, Wheat, Chicken and eggs.
An Argument always is that after so many years of eating the same food, and the cat never showed any food hypersensitivity in years only now the cat has symptoms of a food allergy.
Well, all I can say our body changes with age and that is the same for animals. How to identify a food allergy in your cat, can be done with the test and there are excellent laboratories who can verify and specify the allergic reaction to which food. There is an app available to download on Google play to check what is in your cat food.
I used to get one of the apps to check the food for our stray cat as she had diabetes. It was a great help.
Environmental Allergies is a subject all on its own. They often begin at a younger age of a cats life. You might have noticed them on a seasonal term and did not take notice of it.
Cats can have environmental allergies in spring and fall. For example sinus. The signs of a sinus infection over a period get worse and start to occur throughout the year.
Another allergy reaction on indoor cats can be dust mites, and they cause a year around the problem.
Looking at how stress affects cats, we see profound similarities and differences between them and us. With both of us taking to comfort and repeating actions to “clear our head”.
The difference between our cats and us though is that as long as that variable remains in their general area, the longer they stay stressed.
Although we can get over the stress and have “swings” for the amount of stress we are experiencing, for cats, they may calm down for a short while, but as soon as the stimulus returns, they will revert to their “original” state.
When Cats become stressed, they may also take to cleaning themselves much more than they would usually do, this is of course due to the way the cats will handle themselves when stressed. ( When a cat is bored )
To deal with this or identify this, see what might be causing your cat to feel stressed and attempt to either help them overcome their stress (through playing with them, trying to get them used to it etc.) or try and calm them down once you are close to them and they aren’t afraid. Best Toys for cats
Download our free ebook “For the Love of Our Cats” Click here
A good remedy that helps stressed cats is either the sentry calming collar or the sentry diffuser. Click here
When looking at their bites, trying to get them used to the situation may be the best way to stop them from licking themselves, another method could be to try and “rewire” them, by either petting them or giving them attention once you notice that they are getting stressed.
A great way to calm down cats is with Lavender oil. Use a drop of Lavender oil and mix with Carrier oil and massage and pet your cat’s fur with it. (see our blog on essential oils for pets. )
The tip that works for me: Brush them with a soft brush and put one drop of lavender oil mix with a carrier oil onto the brush and remove some hairs. Brushing will soothe them.
It may take some time, care and careful consideration of how your pet acted before.
Furthermore, you have to see how far the scratching progresses, and how long the duration of itching takes as if it stops after one week, its guaranteed to have been some form of stress or discomfort.
Even then though, you should consider action to see what was the original cause and either remove or prepare your cat for the same situation the next time.
Your cat’s fur is shedding
Another reason for your cat to be itching and losing hair is shedding. Your cat may start to lose many hairs, be it due to the natural winter-summer loss of fur, ageing, or be sick.
The amount of hair loss is also proportionate to the amount of hair getting stuck in the cat’s body.
When you pat your cat, do you notice a lot of hair clumps up in something akin to a ball?
That’s when the cat’s hair starts to irritate the cat itself, as the hair still falls off when the cat is doing its day to day activities and merely is trapped near the cat’s skin, leading to the cat scratching/licking itself to remove these hairs.
That causes merely more hairs to be let loose, generating an “infinite cycle” of hair loss and gathering.
Besides brushing your cat each day, not much else can be done about this issue, as this is merely a natural part of the cat’s life.
Always consult a Veterinarian if problems persist. Do not treat your cat without consulting a veterinarian.
Oh yes, your cat also can get pimples. She might be biting and licking excessively due to sensitive skin conditions. If you recently changed the food or the shampoo, your cat might be having an allergic reaction to some of the ingredients.
If you have mosquitos around the little lumps can come from mosquito bites, and they cause the cat to have itchy skin. It is, of course, a visible marker, but many owners merely look for ticks or bugs, rather than also looking for pimples and other such things.
Either way, these irritate the skin of the cat and causes it to attempt to get rid of the bug through chewing, even if this entails chewing off some fur to do this.
Cats have quite sensitive skin, and even minor irritations can cause the cat to completely occupy themselves with the attempt to remove the said irritation.
As long as the annoyance persists, the cat would continuously and almost obsessively attempt to remove the irritant, leading to hair loss and fur scabs.
A way to remove or identify this is to give your cat a thorough pat-down or attempt to feel where you notice your cat has been biting a lot, and try and feel/find out if there are any discrepancies on the skin.
If your cat has pimples or warts/lumps which are causing him/her issue, I would suggest taking them to a veterinarian, where the vet can identify and remove/help soothe the itch.
Download the free ebook ” For the love of our Cats” Click here
It is a short OCD. It is a behavioural disorder where a cat is engaging in repetitive, exaggerated behaviours that seem without purpose. Grooming is one of the examples where cats chew and groom themselves to the extent that they rub off the fur and chew themselves until no coat is left.
Other than that most of these problems are easy to solve, they merely require one to be observant and know how your cat interacts and reacts to specific situations.
Furthermore, if you are unsure or worried about your cat or have noticed that the itching prevails for longer than one month, and is either staying at the same level or becoming progressively worse, it is best to seek a veterinarian’s opinion, as it may give you insight into what is happening.
Do you have a cat or cats, did you ask yourself “why my cat is losing hair?” please share with us your experience and your wisdom how you helped your cat. Love to hear from you
All the best
Melanie
As a responsible dog owner, you want the best for your furry friend. But with…
Review of "Brain Training for Dogs" by Adrienne FaricelliAs a devoted dog owner, I was…
Don't Kill Your Hedgehog with Kindness. A Guide To Safe Interactions. Tragically, many hedgehogs lose…
Nourishing Aging Joints: Joint health is important for our four-legged friends. The Role of Dog…
Pet Owners' Guide to Home Maintenance: Ensuring Cleanliness and Safety Maintaining a clean and safe…
Attract Furever Clients: Launch & Grow Your Veterinary Clinic. Starting a veterinary clinic is a…
View Comments
This is very helpful information. I wish I had found it sooner. My older cat was showing signs of balding on his belly and back legs. I couldn't figure out what it was. I read this and took him to the vet yesterday and it turns out he has an OCD issue where he is pulling the fur out himself because of frustration and stress. I would have never known that!
Dear Jasmine
Unfortunately, a lot of cats especially if they hold single will go into OCD as a reaction to feeling lonely, bored or stressed.
I kept in the beginning only one cat and my cat was clinging to me like velcro. My friend, she is a veterinarian and she recommended me to get another one that my cat will not depend on me or us the family that someone is playing with her or paying attention to her. Cats are quite active at night and when there is more than one cat they can play at night. It also gives them the balance. Nowadays a lot of cats live in apartments and all they see from the outside is the balcony. Of course, a cat feels frustrated when seeing the outside and not being able to go there and enjoy it.
Cats with OCD are not fun and can be putting some stress on their owners as they do worry about their furry friends too. If you can and be able to afford it I would recommend keeping always more than one cat.
Have a wonderful day
Cheers Melanie
I've had animals with flea allergy and also with food allergy so I know about fur shedding. My dog was red raw when he got a wheat allergy. Luckily we have a very good vet who diagnosed it really quickly and we were able to help him with it.
Enjoy the journey!
Dear Mandy
Any allergies are bad and the pets suffer tremendously. Food Allergy is a nasty allergy especially with shedding the fur. You are so lucky and you I can see and feel you care a great deal about pets. Lucky in a sense that your vet is very good with animals and understands the symptoms.
Sometimes we can not figure out what the problem is, but with a good vet, our pets are in good hands. May I ask did you change the diet of your dog, and what did you change. It would be interesting to know the root of the allergy.
thanks have a great day
Melanie