Just before to start a serious reading, please be aware that it just normal that cats turn to lose hair on a daily basis, so please do not worry too much. To avoid messing around with hair everywhere, you can brush them every days by using a Hair lose & Massage gloves.
If you think your cat is really losing too much hair, or you notice some unusual hair loss and a whole in skin, it is better to consult a vet.
Hair loss in cats — also called alopecia in cats — can be complete or partial and happens in cats for a variety of reasons, the most common of which is skin allergies.
The good news for cat parents is that this hair loss in cats usually doesn’t indicate a serious illness, and the hair can easily be treated and usually grow back. Some causes of hair loss in Cats
Fleas
Some cats are sensitive to fleas and may turn to be losing hair resultantly. The flea doesn’t necessarily cause alopecia but their saliva does. When hair loss is flea-based the loss exhibits in patches in the hind.
Anti-flea shampoos and other treatment can be used to expel fleas. Antihistamines or corticosteroids are common remedies for hair loss and itching. To ensure fleas do not infest in the future administer spot-on treatment regularly.
Allergies
Like humans, cats can suffer from both environmental and food-based allergies. Such allergies are a leading cause of cat alopecia and can present in patchy loss of hair and itchy, inflamed skin.
Determining the exact source of an allergic reaction can be difficult. Your vet can run a series of skin tests to pinpoint the cause. You can also try removing certain things from your cat’s play area to see if that has any effect; or slowly change elements of your cat’s diet if you suspect the allergy may be foodborne.
In the case of environmental sources, your vet may prescribe topical or atopic allergy medications and treatments. If your cat is allergic to their food you will need to change their diet over the course of a week, so as not to upset their digestive system. Cats particularly prone to food allergies may do well with hypoallergenic cat foods.
Stress and Anxiety
Most commonly, cats that lose hair are experiencing stress and anxiety. You can observe it when a cat is obsessively licking, chewing and grooming itself, it’s called psychogenic alopecia. It’s globally recognized as an obsessive-compulsive behavior wherein the cat continually ‘overgrooms’ an area. Some cats will even pull out their own hair.
This pattern is especially popular with female purebreds who have nervous personalities. Your cat may need an antidepressant or a change in the environment, like keeping other pets away (giving it its own secret place or putting up a high perch for it to find a peaceful place to rest).
Ringworm
Another common cause of cat hair loss is a fungal infection known as ringworm. It is easily spread through contact with infected animals, causes the hair in adult cats to become brittle and break off in patches. Kittens exhibit reddish areas on the face, ears, and paw pads, sometimes accompanied by a white or gray crust.
Your vet can determine if a ringworm infection is present through a fungal skin culture. Those cats that test positive will be treated with antifungal shampoos, creams, sprays, or medications.
Hyperthyroidism
As the most common disorder that cats experience, hyperthyroidism is also the leading cause of cat hair loss. Other symptoms of hyperthyroidism include weight loss, a curb or complete standstill in grooming, excessive thirst and urination, and insatiable appetite. Luckily, in most cases, hyperthyroidism can be easily controlled with medication or radioactive iodine therapy.
Demodectic Mange
It is a skin condition caused by microscopic mites. The Demodex Canis mites live in the hair follicles of cats and usually cause hair loss.
All cats do cats dogs and even humans have mites living within them but usually do not constitute any threats if the immune system works.
Diagnosis for mange is with microscopic viewing of skin scrapings. Vets usually use pyrethrin products for the treatment of demodectic mange.
Notoedric Mange
In some cases, hair loss in cats can be brought on by other lesser-known causes such as notoedres cati, more commonly referred to as notoedric mange. This is a parasite that causes alopecia in cats. Hair loss from notoedres cati is seen on the ears, neck, eyelids and other facial and upper body regions. While most people have never heard of notoedres cati, it is the second most common parasite in cats.
Rare Causes
Pure breeds, like Himalayans and Bengals, are more likely to have genes that cause hair loss. Others, like the Sphynx, are bred to be hairless.
It’s unlikely, but hair loss can be a symptom of an immune system problem, an overactive thyroid, diabetes, or cancer. While a loss in hair may not be life-threatening to the pet, any kind of hair loss deserves specialist attention.
