Cat Hair Loss

"Cat hair loss has multiple causes including allergy, mange, ringworm and thyroid disease"

Allergic contact dermatitis: the cat comes into contact with something she is allergic to, such as poison ivy or chemicals. Symptoms include red skin and small bumps or blisters in the exposed areas, itching, and hair loss with chronic exposure. Treatment includes avoiding the irritating substances, steroids, and antihistamines.

Atopy (allergic inhalant dermatitis): your cat inhales something she is allergic to, such as pollen or dust mites. Symptoms include licking her feet, inflamed ears, scratching, and hair loss. Treatment includes reducing exposure to the irritants, steroids, and antihistamines.

Cheyletiella or Demodicosis mange: this is caused by the Cheyletiella mite. Symptoms include itching, scaly skin, and cat hair loss. It is treated with medication. Diagnosis is done with skin scrapings. Treatment requires a miticide to kill the parasites such as Dermisil.

Flea allergy dermatitis: this condition occurs when a cat is allergic to the flea’s saliva. Symptoms include intense itching, redness, scaly patches, and hair loss. This is treated by treating both the cat and the environment for fleas. In addition, the cat may be treated with steroids and/or antihistamines for the itching.

Food allergies: symptoms include licking her feet, inflamed ears, scratching, and cat hair loss. The specific allergies may need to be determined through food elimination trials. Then dietary changes are made so the problems do not occur any more

Pregnancy and nursing: shedding is common at this time, and hair lost will grow back.

Endocrine System Issues: if the thyroid gland is producing excess or too little thyroid hormone hair loss can occur. Diseases of the endocrine system include hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, hyperadrenocorticism and Diabetes mellitus. Symptoms include cat hair loss, hair that is easily pulled out, and oily skin. Other symptoms include increased appetite and weight loss. Treatment involves surgical removal of one or both lobes of the thyroid gland, radiation therapy to destroy the damaged thyroid tissue, or medication to correct the diabetes or hormone replacement.

Psychogenic dermatitis: this occurs if your cat licks herself, due to anxiety, stress, or boredom, until there is cat hair loss and skin irritation. If possible, the underlying cause of the anxiety of stress is removed. Licking can be restricted with the use of special collars. Behavior modifying medication may be necessary. This is seen in 10 to 15% of cats and often in conjunction with other underlying causes.

Ringworm: this is not really a worm but a fungal infection. It gets its name from its appearance, which is a red ring with a white center. It can leave scaly, bald patches. It is treated with anti-fungal medication.

Cushing's Disease: If the pituitary gland is not functioning possible it results in too much of a substance called cortisol in the blood. Symptoms in addition to hair loss accompany this disorder including an enlarged abdomen, weight loss, hyperactivity, vomiting or diarrhea plus excessive eating, thirst and increase in the frequency of urination.

Diabetes Mellitus:

Diagnosis of Cat Hair Loss

If the hair is easily broken or removed an examination of the skin is done looking for different types of lesions. Your veterinarian will try and determine if any redness was caused by itching (pruritus) or if there is another cause. There are several diagnostic steps:

1. Examination for Parasites: Your veterinarian will comb your cat's hair and take a skin scraping to determine if fleas or mites are causing the condition. Depending on what is found a treatment for fleas or mites (Demodex, Cheyletiella, Otodectes) is recommended.

2. Look for fungus: A special lamp is used (Wood's lamp) to see if their is fungus on the hair. If fungus is found then your veterinarian will prescribe the medication fipronil which can be given as an ointment (7 day treatment) or oral drug (called nitenpyram).

If your cat does not respond to either of the above your veterinarian will recheck your cat for parasites after 4 weeks or look for food allergy as a cause of the condition.

3. Dietary Change: An elimination diet will be recommended where your cat's diet is changed to few ingredients. Additional ingredients are added until symptoms reappear. Foods eliminated include fish, beef, dairy, pork, chicken, lamb/mutton, eggs and wheat.

4. Feline atopic dermatitis test: If food allergies do not appear to be the cause the next step is to test for some type of skin allergy or atopy (skin sensitivity to allergens that you are born with) through a series of skin allergy tests. Your veterinarian could also prescribe medications to help with allergic reactions such as antihistamines.

If all of these causes are ruled out then the cause is either something that has not been diagnosed such as something in your cat's environment causing an allergic reaction or the reaction is due to emotional distress caused by either your cat's inherited disposition or stress in your cat's life. Causes of stress could be separation anxiety when you leave the house, the introduction of a new pet into the household, a new child or even the rearrangement of furniture in the rooms where your cat lives.

Sources

Diagnoses: Shake and Stir and Add a Twist of Dermpath: The Cat with Non Inflammatory Alopecia
Burrows, Mandy

From Cat Hair Loss to More on Cat Hair
To Cat Health Guide Home