Cat Hair Loss and Skin Irritation

by Nate
(Tulsa, OK, )

Cat Hair Loss Reader Question:

I have just 2 cats, one 9 months and one 5 months old. The 5 month old started getting like flaky dandruffy spots on his left ear, and I thought it was just from them playing.

Now about 2 weeks later he has one spot of missing hair on his back and its real white flaky looking skin where the cat hair is gone just like on his ear. Some of the white dandruff looking stuff brushes off and it doesn't seem painful to him at all, but the skin is red under the white scabs that flake off like dandruff.

I'm not sure what to do since it was just a small spot on his ear so I thought it might go away on its' own, but now I think I might try putting some hydraquaterzone on it or something. I'm not quite sure what to do.

Cat Hair Loss and Cat Skin Irritation Editor Suggestion:

Dear Nate,

Thank you for your question and sorry to hear about the cat skin condition. Symptoms such as flaky dandruff over the ears indicates a mite infestation, in other words cat mange.

In this specific kind of mange, called feline walking dandruff, there is some specificity which will help you in probing it out. Typical signs of this type of mange includes initial symptoms appearing at the outer part of the ear and then it spreads over the the back of the cat in a dorsal (cats back) manner.

In most cases, the head and neck are amongst the most affected cat body parts. Pruritus or itchiness ranges from none to severe depending on the immune status of the affected cat. Since the infesting mites are usually very small in number, they can’t be easily isolated from the affected parts of the skin. Because of this, to test for cat mange, skin scrapings and tests for the presence of specific antibodies in the blood are required to confirm the presence of condition.

Hydrocortisone, as a corticosteroid can only help to reduce symptoms such as itchiness and any rashes that may have developed. More over, let me tell you that you should not use this type of treatment on your 5 month old cat; it may cause severe side effects.

You should try a combination of natural preparations, which are not only effective, but will also be safe for your cat. Try to regularly bathe your pet with a quality herbal shampoo which will clear the skin and thereafter apply some type of anti parasitic preparation such as a lime sulfur dip. A good option for both is sold by Dermisil for Pet Mange. Both together will help in the elimination of the mites.

As an additional step, you can also add a natural remedy to improve your cats skin condition such as Skin and Coat Tonic.

Also, as you said this condition started from the ear, so you should use a preparation made to support ear health such as Ear Dr., to deter any parasitic growth in the cats ear. Remember that natural remedies can help with limited conditions only, as in this case the infestation is limited to a specific certain area. If it spreads, a more specific mite treatment will be needed.

Additionally, wash all of your cats belongings and bedding with a quality detergent mixed in hot water and disinfect all floor areas and corners of your home. Isolate the affected cat, since the other cat is at risk for mites as well that can spread from the infected cat.

If you feel additional signs as pus, or lesions that spread to other parts of the body etc, consult a veterinarian for detailed examination.