What Illnesses Cause a Cat to Lose Hair?

Hair loss in cats can cause a lot of concern in pet owners. Illnesses that cause hair loss range from simple conditions to more serve conditions that will require serious treatments. Persistent hair loss can be a sign of serious problems and veterinarians will be able to diagnose and help treat any diseases causing problems in your cat.

  1. Parasitic Skin Diseases

    • One of the biggest causes of cat hair loss includes parasitic skin diseases. This illness can be caused by various parasites including mange mites, lice, ringworms, yeast and fungi. Symptoms of this illness include hair loss, excessive itching, crusting of the skin, redness and scaling of the skin. A trip to a vet's office will determine which parasite is causing the problems. Once the parasite is determined, a treatment plan for a cat can be determined to treat the condition.

    Hyperthyroidism

    • Hyperthyroidism occurs in cats when an over active thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxin. Hair loss, oily skin and hair easily being pulled out are signs of this condition. About one-third of the cats with this illness will also develop skin lesions and cats may also start to over groom themselves. Cats can be treated by having part of the thyroid removed, by radioactive iodine therapy and by methimazole.

    Demodectic Mange

    • Demodectic mange is an infection that occurs in cats. It can occur in two forms, localized and generalized. The localized form is more common and symptoms include hair loss and scaly skin occurring on the face, head, ears and neck of a cat. The generalized form is similar in symptoms, but the scaly skin and lesions can occur on the legs and body. If the generalized form of demodectic mange occurs in a cat, it is normally a sign of an underlying condition such as feline leukemia or another serious condition.

    Facial Alopecia

    • Facial alopecia is a natural occurring illness in cats. The symptoms of this condition include decreased density of hair between the eyes, on the face and near the ears. Facial alopecia is more common in short haired cats and dark colored cats. Cats between the ages of 14 to 20 months of age are susceptible. This condition should not be a cause of concern unless signs of skin diseases such as redness or scales develop. There are also no treatments needed because the illness will go away on its own eventually.