Cat losing hair due to scratching.?

Question

We recently brought in a stray cat. When he got treated with Advantage for some fleas, he scratched the back of his neck until it was bleeding and bald. I know he hasn't been properly taken care of and he was fairly malnourished when I took him in, so I am pretty sure the hair came out easily because of that. Anyone else ever encounter this? My other cats scratch themselves but have never pulled the hair out or bled. I am just looking for ways to get the little guy healthy again, so any suggestions to make his skin and fur stronger and healthier would be helpful!

It is not normal shedding (which you spelled incorrectly, btw). If it was normal shedding I wouldn't have asked about it. My other cats do not scratch until they are bald and bleeding. If you are going to answer, at least try to be helpful please. Since he is a stray and he was very obviously starving, I am thinking he is just not healthy and his hair and skin are weak from the lack of nutrition. First answerer, you can't possibly be a pet owner, and if you are, I feel sorry that you aren't a little bit more caring about pets.

Just another point- I did take him immediately to the vet when I found him. I have other cats and did not want him to come into our house carrying a disease. He has had a check up and been tested for Feline Leuk and he had his rabies vac, so I am hoping it is poor nutrition. Thanks to everyone who responded minus #1.

Answer 1

Your cat may be having an allergic reaction to something, whether its the food that your feeding him or the flea medicine that you put on him. Also a cat's fur is a good sign of its nutrition so it could just be recovering from the malnourishment of being a stray cat. Check with your vet and see if there is anything that you could apply to the open wounds so they don't get infected and so your cat doesn't continue to scratch that area. One of my co-workers had the same problem with her cat and she was also using Advantage flea treatments, so maybe that product is what was irritating his skin. At any rate, your cat is lucky to have an owner that is concerned about his well-being, good luck!

Answer 2

If he's a stray it could have all sorts of things wrong apart from the sheer stress of its life so far. He really needs to be checked out at the vets, if there is an rspca or pdsa near you take him, they help with vets costs. Your stray could have a flea allergy, that is, a reaction to flea poo and/or allergic to the product you bought.

Answer 3

My cat did this and the vet said it was nervous grooming. The cat is under a lot of stress from the move. You might consider getting some kitty tranquilizers from petsmart or you can get a prescription. It goes away eventually.

Answer 4

if he was neglected before and now u taking care of him the food u give him could be to rich and most animals loose hair from malnurisment so get special shampoo in pet store and c how u get on

Answer 5

yes my cat did the same thing you need to ask the doctor if your cat could possibly be allergic to fleas! Good Luck

Answer 6

his skin maybe dry or he may have cat dander.
i had a cat that had this.
you can find a mild shampoo for animals in your stores.
he maybe alergic to some thing.
talk to a vet. sometimes they will give you a sample to try.

Answer 7

my friends dog did that and they took it to the vet and it had a disease and the meds were very expensive so they got them for him and the disease wasn't cured so poor old Brutis had to be put down

Answer 8

It's normal. It is called sheding.