psychogenic alopecia in cats is a behavioral disorder, in most cases transitory, suffered by felines subjected to stressful episodes. There are varying degrees of involvement ranging from mild to very severe cases. This abnormal behavior can occur in any type of feline breed. However, cats that suffer from a lack of stimulation and enrichment, deficiencies in their care or an impoverished environment, among others, are more likely to suffer from it.
In this article on our site we will explain what is feline psychogenic alopecia, its causes, symptoms and treatment If your cat suffers from this disorder, check below why it has occurred and how you can help your feline to solve this problem permanently.
The 4 most frequent causes of feline psychogenic alopecia
1. Stress, anxiety and boredom
Boredom is one of the most common causes of feline psychogenic alopecia. Cats groom themselves daily with their tongue. This oral organ is scratchy, abrasive, and if the feline exceeds its hygiene, it ends up pulling out the living hair instead of dragging only the dead hair from its mantle.
This type of behavior is common when cats are home alone for too long. With no human company, no other pets to interact with, and no toys to play with, many cats compulsively lickThey do not find any other better activity to spend the endless hours of solitude. If you suspect that the cause of this problem may be due to this reason, do not hesitate to review the 5 most obvious symptoms of a bored cat.
two. Stereotypes or compulsive behaviors
Stereotypies in animals, also known as compulsive behaviors (which resemble "OCD" in humans) is a behavior that can derive from stress or boredom and that manifests itself through repetitive and constant behaviors without an apparent end.
3. Socialization problems
The loss of a family member (cat or human), the birth of a baby or many other circumstances can cause our cat to feel displaced and not receive their regular doses of socialization. The lack of socialization in the cat can also cause boredom, stress and cause the behavior of excessive licking mentioned above.
It can also happen that after the introduction of a new member of the family, the proper introductions have not been made. Especially if our cat has not been properly socialized since its puppyhood, it is common for fears or aggressive behavior to appear in the face of the appearance of new individuals in the home, thus resulting in feline psychogenic alopecia.
4. Skin allergies
Finally, but not least, we must highlight the probability that this behavioral problem that causes physical injuries is due to a possible allergy. Whether we are talking about allergy to flea bites, allergies to certain foods or deworming products, this is a cause that the veterinarian must rule out before issuing a diagnosis of the case.
Symptoms of feline psychogenic alopecia
Fur loss is the clearest symptom of feline psychogenic alopecia. It usually starts in the abdomen or groin and spreads to other areas, such as the legs, tail and sides. But to differentiate this disorder from other pathologies, attention must be paid to other symptoms.
Feline psychogenic alopecia symptoms:
- Loss of hair
- Excessive grooming
- Excess hair in the home
- Redness of the skin
- Wounds
- Rash
- Ulcers
- Crusts
Diagnosis of feline psychogenic alopecia
For an adequate diagnosis, the veterinarian will ask us about the feline behavior pattern, but they can also performComplementary tests such as a skin scraping, allergy tests, blood tests or urine tests to rule out other pathologies and confirm feline psychogenic alopecia.
Cure and treatment of feline psychogenic alopecia
The treatment of feline psychogenic alopecia begins with a ethological management, which involves improving the cat's well-being, care for part of their owners and a notable improvement in environmental enrichment. Devoting more time and attention to promoting the feline's natural behaviors (such as hunting, through toys such as fishing rods or interactive toys) significantly improve the animal's well-being.
If after applying the guidelines offered by the professional the case does not improve, the veterinarian will prescribe the use of pharmacology, such as corticosteroids, to relieve the symptoms of this disorder. You can also recommend the use of synthetic pheromones for cats to calm them down and ensure their well-being and, in extreme cases, you can also recommend the use of aElizabethan collar
The prognosis of this disease is reserved, since in a large number of clinical cases recurrence is observed and it becomes a chronic problem.
