Cat Pulling Out Hair

You can often observe your cat pulling out hair. Though the act may seen deliberate, in reality, the cat is mostly only trying to relieve itself of the itch or the discomfort caused by allergies, infections, and fleas. Simply checking your cat’s fur can help you find fleas or infections on the skin of the cat. Cats often also pull out their hair due to anxiety. The cat may become anxious due to several reasons, the most common being a change in its surroundings or the addition of a new pet to the family. If a cat has been deprived or abused in the past, this too could often cause the cat to become extremely anxious. In some cases, a cat pulling out hair could simply be suffering from stress and anxiety. Though there are usually some causes behind a cat’s anxiety, some cats are simply genetically predisposed to anxiety.

Cats are used to grooming themselves. They do not require to be cleaned as often as dogs and other pets since they lick themselves clean. It is not unusual to see a cat licking itself aggressively to clean itself. Sometimes, however, the cat may end up pulling out its hair or biting at its skin. When the hair is pulled out in such aggression the skin may become red and appear infected in patches. The fur of such a cat can be seen as short and stubby in certain patches.

If your cat has bare patches of skin from where the hair has been completely pulled out, you may have to take it to the vet to get it checked for a fungal condition known as alopecia areata. If the vet rules the disorder out, it simply means that your cat is suffering from psychogenic alopecia, a condition in which it willingly pulls out its fur. The treatment of cat pulling hair usually depends on the cause of this behavior. If the cat is pulling hair simply because it has recently been under a lot of emotional stress, changing the cat’s environment may help. If the hair pulling has been caused due to fleas, infections or irritation on the skin, a flea shot from the vet may be in order. For infections and irritation on the skin, the doctor may perform a few tests to find the cause. Besides the treatment, cat hair care is also very important. If your cat is very outdoorsy, leaving it to clean up after itself may not be the best idea. Inspect your cat regularly for parasites or allergies. Your cat may require medicated baths from time to time. Your vet can suggest a few medicated shampoos and grooming products that will suit your cat.