What could be causing my cat's fur loss?

Question

Both of my cat's front legs look hairless and lately I have been finding large scabs all over him. Besides mange, what could be causing this? He is an inside cat and never goes outside. Thank you.

Answer 1

I'm not going to repeat what has been said here. If it does have fleas, then you can bet he has tapeworms too, they get them from ingesting the fleas. I just wanted to comment on the IDIOT that told you to put the cat outside to get some "sunshine". How stupid can some people be? Take your cat to the vet for his problem, be sure and mention what that idiot said so he can have a good laugh! The worst thing anyone can do is put their cat outside!

Answer 2

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RE:
What could be causing my cat's fur loss?
Both of my cat's front legs look hairless and lately I have been finding large scabs all over him. Besides mange, what could be causing this? He is an inside cat and never goes outside. Thank you.

Answer 3

It could be an allergy to certain ingredient in his food. I had a cat that was allergic to dairy products and her fur would fall out and she'd have raw bloody patches on her skin. Check with your vet.

Answer 4

Hair loss (alopecia) is a common sign in cats.

Hair loss (alopecia) is often very distressing for owners because of the unsightly appearance of their pet. It can also be extremely frustrating to treat - depending upon the underlying cause.


There are many different causes of hair loss in cats, and there are three main types (if you want to find out more click on the blue underlined words):

Congenital / hereditary
Congenital hair loss (hypotrichosis)
Acquired - develops during the life of the animal
Alopecia of cat ears
Alopecia of the temporal region of the head
Symmetrical alopecia of the body
Injection reactions - local hair loss following injections have been reported eg treatment with rabies vaccines, and with praziquantel
Pancreatic paraneoplastic alopecia - This is very rare and is hair loss associated with a pancreatic cancer. The hair loss involves the underside of the body and legs
Secondary to another disease process
Skin infections (eg ringworm - a fungal infection) - typical circular patches of hair loss - diagnosed by taking hair samples
Self-inflicted injury (eg allergy, parasites) - must treat underlying cause to stop self-trauma
Differentiating between the different causes of hair loss can be difficult and your veterinarian may need to perform a series of skin and other tests to determine the cause. This is important because treatment will vary greatly from one case to another.

For some of these diseases specific treatment is available for others there is no treatment.

Drugs used to treat hair loss (eg hormonal preparations) may have secondary side-effects which are unacceptable. In such cases it has to be decided if the appearance of the cat warrants long term therapy.

Cats with inherited forms of disease should not be used for breeding.

Answer 5

Alergy to either food or fleas!. If the scabs are near the base of the tail, go with fleas. Flea collars only keep fleas off the Cats head. You have to spring for advantage. It only takes one flea bite to set off an alergic reaction.

Bad news if it is food. Friskies is the cheapest, but also has the most allergens. If you cannot afford Science diet, try Whiska's or 9 lives, they have the next closest formula.

Answer 6

I had a cat that would lick her stomach and back legs bare. In some cases it's boredom or stress. Do you have another cat or a dog that shares the same space?

Answer 7

Hair loss affects both men and women. Here are some natural remedies that can help boost hair growth: https://biturl.im/aULNl While genetics plays a role, there are other factors, including: hormonal imbalances, an underactive thyroid gland, nutrient deficiencies and insufficient scalp circulation.

Answer 8

Even though it is an indoor cat it still could be flea bites, and the cat is having an allergic reaction to it. Fleas can come in on other people who visit, etc.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

Indolent (Rodent) Ulcer: Red shiny patches of hairless skin. Usually involves the middle of the upper lip; occasionally the lower lip. Not painful.

Ringworm: Scaly, crusty or red circular patches with central hair loss. Sometimes just broken hairs around the face and ears. Highly contagious. May become infected.

Demodectic Mange: Thinning and loss of hair around the eyes and eyelids giving moth-eaten appearance. Rare in cats.

Eosinophilic Granulomas: Raised, red circular plaque on abdomen or inside of thighs (eosinophilic plaque); or linear plaques on back of hind legs.

Feline Endocrine Alopecia: Thinning or balding of coat on insides of back legs, lower abdomen and genital area. Distribution is symmetrical (mirror image). Occurs most often in neutered males and spayed females.

Hypothyroidism: Dry skin and thinning of hair/coat. Hair becomes dull and brittle. Rare.

Cortisone Excess: Loss of hair in symmetrical pattern over trunk with darkening of underlying skin. May indicate thyroid problem.

Stud Tail: Greasy, rancid-smelling waxy-brown material at top of tail near base.

Psychogenic Alopecia: Thinning of hair in a stripe down the back. Caused by compulsive self-grooming.