Why is my cat's fur falling out?

Question

My 7 year old male cat (indoor/outdoor) has recently been losing fur around his hind quarters, and this morning while petting him, a large chunk of fur came out, and he has a completely bald spot on his forehead. He was losing fur earlier this year, and I switched his diet, so that he was eating a high protein food. His fur came back almost immediately. Recently, he has not been over-grooming, at least that I've noticed, and he hasn't had any obvious scratching. Since the season is  changing, and it's getting cooler, I want to fix this unnecessary shedding, before it gets really bad. Any clues as to what this could be or how to solve the problem?

CRI · Accepted Answer

I would check with a vet. It could be a number of things. I have a dog that has a bald patch and the vet diagnosed him with a thyroid problem. I also just got a cat that had a bald patch and she ended having ringworm. Its something that you should have checked out by a vet to see exactly what is causing the hair loss.

j c · Answer

My first thought is ringworm, that will cause bald patches.  Sometime  if you look closely at the bald patch, it will look like the fur is broken off. Ringworm is easily checked by the vet -  I think they just shine a black light on the area & not very expensive to treat. You do need to get that checked out though, as it can be spread to other pets & humans.

Other possibilites are  fleas, worms, nervousness, thyroid problem, other skin condition, etc.

? · Answer

Consider allergies.....to something in the food or his enviroment

Also, are the bald spots red or scaly? if so, consider mange, ringworm. 

Only the vet can diagnose this...

? · Answer

I would seriously consult a vet in this case.

Trending News

Why is my cat's fur falling out?

4 Answers