Cat Hair Loss: Causes and Treatment

Sometime during your cat’s life they may experience hair loss, this can be something that is perfectly normal and will clear up on its own. However, you should never wait more than a few weeks if your cat is experiencing hair loss, instead you’ll need to consult with your local veterinarian. This is because despite it being a common condition, cat hair loss is something which can be linked to a number of serious diseases; some of them even fatal. Therefore, it is recommended that you get your cat to a veterinarian as soon as possible to determine the cause of the problem.

Your vet will carry out a biopsy on the skin of your pet, and perhaps take a blood sample. This will help determine whether your cat has a serious condition. The vet will then recommend various medications that you can use to assist your pet in combating their cat hair loss. There may also be surgical options available depending on what is causing the condition.

If your cat is experiencing hair loss then more often than not it has not been caused by anything too serious. In fact, the condition is easily treatable and hopefully it will disappear on its own within a couple of weeks.

Your pet may also be causing ‘self-inflicted’ hair loss. Your vet will inspect the skin to check for broken roots. If there are broken roots, then the hair loss will more than likely have been caused by your cat. A common reason for your cat’s ‘self-inflicted’ hair loss could be due to stress. There are some cat breeds that have a more “nervous” personality, but even laid back cats can experience stress brought own by environmental changes, such as moving to a new place, a new baby, loud noises, and even a new cat being introduced to the family. If you feel your cat may be suffering from stress, you can purchase calming agents that can be placed throughout your home, I often use Feliway plug-ins around my house which have proven very successful in keeping my cats calm and relaxed.

One of the biggest causes for cat hair loss is ringworm. Your vet should be able to diagnose this with ease as all the warning signs will be there. Often this will be the first thing that the vet will be on the lookout for. This will be easily treatable with medications and should take a couple of weeks before hair growth begins again.

If nothing is found after blood tests or ringworm checks then there may be other factors at play. One of the biggest causes of cat hair loss is allergy to foods, even if they haven’t been present before. Your vet will most likely supply you with a cat food trial to test your pet for allergies to the foods they are eating. The diet they are placed on will last anywhere from 8-12 weeks. Sometimes you will be given prescription foods, other times you will be supplied with a ‘diet plan’ that you can prepare for your pet at home. Though the second option is much more rare and many vets will not prescribe this option.

As mentioned previously, if your cat is experiencing hair loss then you’ll need to see your veterinarian as soon as possible. Whilst it is unlikely there is a serious disease present, it is better to be safe than sorry, and the earlier the condition is diagnosed, the greater the chances of your cat remaining healthy.