Everyone who's owned a cat knows that they constantly shed fur. However, occasionally a cat will develop a health issue that causes even more hair loss than usual. This is known as alopecia, and it can be indicative of something seriously wrong with your cat. Whether he's balding in spots or all over his body, there is cause for concern. You'll find that hair loss in felines falls into one of two main categories, pruritic and non-pruritic. Pruritic thinning of hair will cause your pets skin to itch and have him scratching, biting, or licking the places on his body that are affected. With the non-pruritic type, the condition may be painful without being itchy, and your cat may still lick the area.
One of the most common causes of pruritic hair loss in cats is allergic reactions. Felines have them in much the same way people do. Reactions to flea or insect bites can cause a dermatitis that causes your pet to frantically scratch and bite himself trying to eradicate the itching. See your vet if this occurs, because he may want you to give your cat medication on a systematic basis that will keep fleas and bugs from biting him and starting colonies in his fur. On the other hand, the allergy may be attributable to other reasons such as changing your kitty's food or exposure to dust, pollen, and other irritants.
Ringworm is a fungus which can affect felines. It's very contagious, and once it gets started under your cat's fur, you may not even know it's there until his fur begins to fall out. If your pet does indeed have ringworm, you'll be able to see circular lesions in the areas where the hair falls out. If you visit your vet, he may give you an anti-fungal cream with which to treat the ringworm. If you don't treat it at all, it will take about 3 months to heal and then another 3 months for the hair to grow back.
Other causes for feline baldness include stress, dry skin, an abscess, a traumatic surgery or injury, Cushing's disease, and hyperthyroidism. Occasionally a cat may develop Feline Symmetrical Alopecia (FSA), a condition that's likely hormonal in nature. This problem may start after you've had your pet spayed or neutered and can possibly be cleared up by hormone injections. If you don't know what's causing the hair loss, don't try to treat the condition on your own. Your vet will be able to prescribe the proper type of treatment for specific problems.
For more tips and information on vitamins for hair growth? Get tips, articles and advice on female hair loss here: Causes of Hair Loss.
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