A cat's fur is going to be its business card and it is very easy to detect problems such as wounds, dandruff or lack of hair. This last question is the one that we are going to deal with in this article on our site, since it is a source of concern for caregivers to know why their cat has bald spots, for this reason we are going to examine the most common causes of this disorder, as well as the possible solutions to recover the mantle, since this is very important for the he alth of our partner. And, as always, we should go to the vet if we notice any problem with our cat's hair.
Why does hairlessness occur?
The first thing we are going to take into account when explaining why a cat has hairless parts is what this lack is like, since we could be facing a alopecia generalized, that is, where we are going to lack hair in a good part of the body, especially on the sides and belly, or to much more specific lack of hair, in the form of bald spots visible in different areas of the body.
In addition, we will have to observe if the fault has its origin in the excessive licking of the cat, since they usually lick themselves instead of scratching and excessive licking can break and cause hair to fall out, as well as cause injuries because their tongue is rough. At other times the hair will be missing without your intervention. All these data are important when reaching diagnoses such as the ones we will see in the following sections.
My cat has bald spots, could it be ringworm?
If our cat has bald patches in the form of rounded bald spots and these are, above all, on the head, we can think that he is suffering from a fairly common disorder, caused by fungi and known as name of ringworm Ringworm in cats is a relatively common disease, especially in smaller cats, and it usually begins when the cat is subjected to stress such as that which can be caused by a change of house but also, an illness, which also occurs in adult cats.
Inadequate hygiene conditions are also a predisposing factor. Ringworm is usually self-limiting, this means that the cat's own immune system could restore the integrity of the skin without the need for medication, just by improving the defenses, for which stress control and quality nutrition will be essential.
However, the veterinarian may decide to medicate with an antifungal in smaller kittens, more severe cases with generalized baldness or in the concurrence of various diseases. These treatments are usually long treatments (minimum of about 4 weeks).
Finally, you should know that ringworm is a contagious zoonotic disease, also for humans, so be careful if children, elderly or immunocompromised people live with the cat. Adequate hygiene must be observed, disinfecting and vacuuming frequently, paying special attention to the areas where the cat rests or spends more time.
Ringworm is confirmed with a simple test carried out by our veterinarian, which consists of passing a lamp (Wood's lamp) over our cat. Lighted areas would indicate the presence of fungi, which can also be seen under a microscope.
My cat has bare patches, a possible allergy
Sometimes, it is the allergy in cats that explains why our feline has parts without hair. These allergies can develop to pollen, some proteins or materials or even allergy to flea saliva. In the latter case, a single bite is capable of triggering the entire allergic picture, which is why it is very important, if our cat is allergic, to keep their deworming up to date, even if you live indoors, and keep in mind that you have to use products that eliminate fleas in all their stages, and not just the adults.
It will be our veterinarian who will advise us in this regard, considering the circumstances of our cat. This allergy causes itching, so that our cat licks and scratchesand ends up losing hair in large areas and even wounds. The longer you take to receive veterinary assistance, the more complicated the picture will be.
In a cat with this type of allergy we will see that the hair is missing especially at the base of the tail (lumbosacral area), being able to extend to the abdomen, the flanks and the neck. The treatment may require drugs to manage the itching and avoid a secondary infection but, above all, as we have said, it must be prevented through a deworming calendar, always using the best products to deworm cats.
Other causes of alopecia
Stress in cats is another factor that can explain why our feline has hairless parts. In order to consider that the cause of the absence of hair is psychological, we must first rule out the physical causes Stress can cause excessive licking in the cat that causes hair loss. Also, as we have seen, it lowers their defenses, which can affect the quality of the coat and shedding. To avoid this, we must investigate the reasons that may be stressing the cat in order to correct them.
At this point you can contact an ethologist (expert in animal behavior) or a veterinarian with training in feline psychology and behavior. An example of the incidence of stress on the hair is the disorder known by the name of telogen effluvium, in which the hair on the sides will be missing, the belly and chest of our cat. In this case, the hairless parts are not due to excessive licking, but due to a disorder in the moult
The hair growth cycle is divided into three phases that follow each other in a mosaic, so that the hair is gradually renewed. Stress can disrupt this cycle, leaving it in its telogen phase, when hair doesn't grow. Once the cause of stress has been resolved, the new hair displaces the existing one, in the telogen phase, producing a sudden shedding of all the hair at the same time. It does not require treatment and the hair ends up recovering but we must avoid, as we have said, the causes of stress.
Another reason for alopecia, especially on the sides and even affecting large areas, are certain endocrine diseases, as you can be Cushing's syndrome in cats, which will give other symptoms such as an increase in water intake, increased urine production or a very pronounced fragility of the skin. In these cases, it will be necessary to treat the primary cause of the lack of hair, which can be diagnosed through blood tests.
Preventive measures
Once we have identified the most common reasons why our cat has bare parts, we must take into account a series of measures that will help us avoid problems with the hair. They are as follows:
- Hygiene and brushing: hair care should be integrated into the basic routine.
- Deworming: it is necessary to establish a schedule of both external and internal deworming and maintain it throughout the year and for all the animals in the house.
- Avoid contagion: if our cat's lack of hair is due to ringworm or fleas, we must take extreme precautions since The fungi that cause ringworm are highly contagious. Flea allergy is not contagious, but fleas are, so we must take care of deworming.
- Food: we must provide our cat with a diet that is adequate to its needs, paying attention to its quality in terms of proteins, minerals, vitamins or fatty acids, as they will influence the quality and growth of the hair.
- Stress: we have seen that it is a factor that can explain why our cat has hairless parts, so we must offer him adequate care, an enriched environment to avoid their boredom and frustration and the gradual adaptation to any change that concerns them.
