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Cat hair loss causes

Cat Hair Loss Causes

When your cat starts to lose hair, it is easy to get upset and panic.



However, one has to understand that there could be myriad causes of cat hair loss. Mange, excessive grooming and dermatitis are just some of what causes hair loss in cats. A lot depends on the feline hair loss symptoms.



For instance, in the case of over-grooming what might happen is that the cat is stressed out and this is linked to obsessive compulsive behavior in cats. In this case the cat keeps on grooming to an unnatural degree which could mean that he or she simply licks the fur or even manages to pull out clumps of it. Thus, in this case, the hair loss in your cat will not be as even and will probably be concentrated in areas such as the abdomen and inner thighs.



On the other hand there are different varieties of dermatitis which could be pinned as the cause of hair loss in cats. One example would be Miliary dermatitis where, in addition to the hair loss, you might notice other symptoms such as scratching and crusty bumps which are red in color. Something like a food allergy would show up as other signs like vomiting, non seasonal itching and diarrhea besides hair loss. As you can see, there is a wide variety of possibilities when trying to establish what causes hair loss in cats. You have to appreciate that it is a tough job, even for your veterinarian, to diagnose and treat the same.

Treatment for alopecia areata in cats would ultimately depend on the problem which is causing it. For instance, in the case of hair loss which is resulting from over-grooming, it would help if you get to the bottom of the stressor in the cat’s environment which is causing the erratic behavior. This can be tricky to determine and manage but it helps to provide your cat with routine. Your cat also needs to fend off boredom so a stimulating environment is always helpful. If the hair loss is a result of Miliary dermatitis, then the question of what caused this condition, such as fleas, needs to be addressed. To get to the bottom of the cause of hair loss in cats, one should take the cat in for a checkup to ensure that it is not a serious problem. Your vet would be the best judge of the causes of hair loss in your cat.

 
  Submitted on May 25, 2010  
 
 
 

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