A cat's fur is very different from human hair. It is very rare for a cat to lose hair for no reason, unless it is a breeds genetically programmed to have no hair, such as the Rex. Unlike humans, cats do not suffer from baldness, so if you find bald spots on your cat, you will need to understand the cause of the hair loss.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Recognizing and Treating Medical Disorders That Cause Hair Loss
Step 1. It is important to determine the ailment that caused the problem
For each ailment, the key to treating hair loss is to treat the disease that causes it. Hair loss is unlikely to be the only symptom present.
For example: cats with skin infections of any kind (bacterial folliculitis, demodectic scabies or ringworm) will also experience itching, while a cat with Cushing's syndrome will be particularly thirsty
Step 2. Recognize the signs of bacterial folliculitis
If a cat has this condition, its skin becomes infected with bacteria that grow along the hair shaft to the root, which can cause serious damage. The infected fur is then accidentally licked off by the cat until it cleans up.
Treatment may require the cat to be sedated in order to wash it with a medicinal shampoo that decreases the number of bacteria on the skin. Your cat may also need to go on a course of antibiotics for a period of four or six weeks. A broad spectrum antibiotic such as amoxicillin is usually prescribed
Step 3. Treat demodectic scabies
Demodex mites live around the hair shaft. This type of mite can damage the coat causing it to fall out and leave bald spots.
Be careful because some demodectic scabies treatments are toxic to cats. Topical treatments with lime sulfide and selenium sulfide shampoo (1%) are safe and effective on cats. Follow the instructions on the package
Step 4. Be aware that telogen outflow can be caused by stress
This disorder leads to sudden, symmetrical hair loss. Telogen outflow is usually caused by a stressful event such as pregnancy, breastfeeding, severe illness, or surgery. Hair loss usually occurs about a month after the event.
No treatment is needed for this disorder, because the skin is not damaged and the hair will grow back on its own once the stressful event has passed
Step 5. Treat ringworm as soon as it occurs
Ringworm is a parasitic fungus called Microsporum canis that grows along the hair shaft. The body recognizes the specific hair shaft as damaged and therefore causes it to fall.
- Treatment involves shortening the hair to reduce contamination and an oral dressing with, for example, griseofulvin, ketoconazole or itraconazole.
- Griseofulvin works by stopping the cell division of the fungus. The absorption of the drug is facilitated by fat, so it is usually administered with a knob of butter. The indicated dose is normally 125 mg twice a day for a medium sized cat.
Step 6. Recognize and treat Cushing's syndrome
Hyperadrenocorticism, or Cushing's syndrome, is a very rare disorder in cats and occurs when the body produces too much natural cortisol. It causes exaggerated hunger and thirst in the cat and physical changes such as belly growth, skin thinning and hair loss.
Treatment involves the administration of trilostane capsules which inhibit the production of cortisol by the glands
Method 2 of 5: Treating Allergies That Cause Excessive Licking
Step 1. Cats can shed their fur due to allergies
They can develop allergies to irritants in the environment around them and to certain foods. These allergies are manifested by itching and, occasionally, diarrhea and vomiting, and can cause the cat to lick itself more frequently. By doing so, the shaft of the hair is damaged and it seems that the cat is losing patches of hair.
Step 2. Monitor your cat's shedding
You can tell that your cat has an allergy to a certain pollen or grass if her itching or shedding is seasonal. For example, it may be that the cat loses hair only in spring or summer, when a certain type of pollen is present in the air.
If you find your cat has a seasonal allergy, talk to your vet about trying steroids. Some vets, in fact, recommend the use of steroids to fight allergies and make itching lessen and the pet's fur returns to normal
Step 3. Put your cat on a hypoallergenic diet
Unfortunately, food allergies cannot be fought by steroids and the cat will not be better off until the allergen is eliminated from its diet. Put your cat on a commercial diet and don't feed him anything else.
- It may take up to eight weeks to clear the allergen from the cat's body.
- If the problem is related to a food allergy, after eight weeks of a hypoallergenic diet the cat should begin to feel better and have stopped licking excessively resulting in regrowth of the hair.
Method 3 of 5: Treating the Pain That Causes Excessive Licking
Step 1. Arthritis can cause hair loss
A cat suffering from arthritis tends to lick the joint that causes it pain. Arthritic pain can be combated with the use of pain relievers, which should decrease the cat's tendency to lick the affected area. Talk to your vet if you think your cat is suffering from arthritic pain.
Step 2. Consider using Meloxicam
Meloxicam (Metacam) is a drug from the family of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) that inhibits the COX-2 enzyme, responsible for the synthesis of prostaglandins, limiting the inflammation that causes fever and pain. This drug can help fight arthritic pain.
Talk to your veterinarian before deciding to give your cat this medicine
Step 3. Do not give Meloxicam to your cat if he is dehydrated
Meloxicam should only be administered to well hydrated animals. Dehydrated animals may have reduced kidney function and the further decrease in blood supply to the kidneys caused by the medicine could lead to kidney failure.
- Meloxicam should be administered with or immediately after a meal.
- Do not give Meloxicam to your cat if they are already taking other NSAIDs or steroids of any kind.
Method 4 of 5: Treating Fleas That Cause Excessive Licking
Step 1. Fleas can cause hair loss
Biting parasites, such as fleas, can cause irritation and cause shedding. They are difficult to spot, so it is easier to spot their faeces, which is the dried blood they leave behind after puncturing the cat's skin.
- Brush the cat against the grain and look for brown spots.
- Wet a cloth and place the brown dots on top. Flea feces turn red or orange when wet: this is due to the blood dissolving again in contact with water.
Step 2. Get your cat regular flea treatments
Flea treatments usually work by inhibiting nerve transmission in parasites, resulting in paralysis and death. The most common flea treatments contain fipronil or selamectin.
The recommended dose of flea medication is generally 6 mg / kg, applied to the skin behind the cat's neck
Step 3. Treat all animals in your home
If you have more than one pet, it is important to get flea treatment on all furry animals. If you only treat one animal, it is very likely that it will get fleas from one of the other animals again.
You may want to consider using an insecticide (or "flea bomb") in your home to remove fleas from your furniture and carpets
Method 5 of 5: Treating Psychogenic Behaviors That Cause Excessive Licking
Step 1. Consider psychological causes if all other causes have been ruled out
Psychogenic behavior is sometimes called obsessive-compulsive behavior and is a reaction to stress. To reach the conclusion that the cause of excessive licking is psychological in nature, it is necessary that all other possible causes have been checked and discarded.
Step 2. Be aware that licking can be addictive in the cat
The act of licking produces the release of endorphins (substances similar to morphine) in the circulatory system of the cat, giving it a kind of euphoria that can be addictive.
The trigger for the first licking episode is usually a stressful event such as, for example, entering a new home for a stray cat. In this case the cat uses licking to calm down and becomes addicted
Step 3. Reduce your cat's stress to help break the habit
For example, try showing your cat that he doesn't have to compete with anyone else for food, water, or sleeping place. Keep your cat busy with different games.
Also let your cat have several hiding places to take refuge when he is feeling stressed
Step 4. Consider using synthetic pheromones
Synthetic pheromones, such as Feliway, are chemical messengers that are sprayed into the air to calm the cat. Synthetic pheromones produce an odor that calms the cat, because its body interprets it as a feeling of security.
Synthetic pheromones are sold in spray bottles, to be sprayed on the cat's bed, or as diffusers for the environment, in order to permeate the whole house with odor
Advice
- The causes of excessive licking can be of four types: allergic, pain-related, parasitic and psychogenic irritation. If you suspect your cat is one of these, consult your veterinarian.
- The first thing a vet does when presented with a cat with a bald spot is to take a sample of fur from the edges of the affected area and observe it under a microscope. In most cases, hair loss is due to excessive licking (of any nature) and the cat's tongue breaking the hair shaft near the root and causing the impression of a lack of hair. Indeed, the hair grows healthy, but is licked off. In cats where the coat is undamaged and sheds on its own it is likely that some kind of disease is present.
