Dec 22, Cat Hair Loss some of the causes for hair loss in cats.

Your veterinarian is the best person from whom to obtain advice, diagnosis and treatment. Here are some of the more common reasons for a cat to lose hair. The list is by no means exhaustive.
Cat hair loss on the stomach and inner thighs may be caused by the animal obsessively licking, biting or scratching due to irritation from mites, fleas or other parasites.
Many cats are allergic to parasites, one bite can result in a severe reaction, resulting in the cat worrying the area so much that it not only loses hair but also, eventually, becomes ulcerated.
With advice from your vet you will need to eradicate the parasites from both your pet and from its environment.
Food Allergy causing cat hair loss. Due to the fact that several other causes for hair loss in cats can show similar symptoms, and that often the cat has more problems than a food allergy alone, your vet will want to rule out other causes before diagnosis for food allergies.
Cats with an allergy to a food, or food ingredient, itch all over and may scratch excessively. It is the eating of certain proteins that causes the problem and your pet could be placed on a 90-day trial diet limited to a prescription brand food consisting of protein and carbohydrates that your cat has never eaten before.
Despite its name Ringworm has nothing to do with worms. Ringworm is a fungal infection that grows in the cat's hair, the exterior layers of the cat's skin or in its claws.
Some cats with ringworm will have a very noticeable skin condition, including loss of hair, while others will look normal. Often there are circular patches of hair loss on the head, body and ears.
Cats can become infected with ringworm by coming in contact with an infected cat, or other animal, from a human or by being in contact with an infected object such as bedding, carpet, furniture or grooming tools. Ringworm is contagious and can be passed from animal to human and vice versa. Children are particularly at risk of infection.
A cat with a healthy coat. Any hair loss or bald patches on a cat may be a sign that all is not well.
Ringworm can clear itself without treatment (although the cat remains a carrier of the fungus.) It is best to take your cat to your veterinarian in all cases where you suspect infection. Treatment will usually be by tablets and ointment, or lotion, for the skin.
The Endocrine System regulates the hormones that are discharged into the cat's body. Specific hormones are responsible for the growth of hair and when there is a surplus, or a deficiency in these hair growth hormones cat hair loss can occur.
Under normal conditions hair grows in cycles. A period of growth, then rest and then the old hair will shed. When the growth cycle is defective, such as an imbalance of hormones, new hairs will not grow to replace the shed hairs.
The hormonal control varies with different parts of the cat's coat, therefor loss of hair can result in bald patches in one part, whilst the coat is normal elsewhere. Most usually the body and tail are affected but normal hair growth remains on the head, face and legs. Your veterinarian may treat cat hair loss due to Endocrine Alopecia with a course of hormone therapy.
If your veterinarian rules out any possible medical causes for your cat's hair loss, he or she may determine that the problem is caused by Psychogenic Alopecia. This put simply, means your cat is over-grooming or hair chewing because of psychological reasons such as stress, nervousness, fear or anxiety.
Cats are intensely susceptible to changes in their routine or to their environment. Practically any change can upset and stress out a cat. An addition to the household, new baby, new partner, or a new pet can cause kitty anxiety. Even the arrival of short stay guests can be a source of stress, as well as changes to the food that you feed your cat or even changes to the time you leave the house to go to work.
Cats not only groom themselves to keep their coats clean but also to give themselves a feeling of comfort and as a way to relax. It is usual for a cat to groom as displacement behavior when temporary stressed, but with some cats there is a danger of excessive prolonged grooming to the point where hair loss occurs.
Extreme licking and chewing can produce patches where the cat's hair has become nothing more than stubble. Some cats may bite and pull out substantial chunks of hair.
Sometimes even though a medical condition triggered the cat hair loss, a nervous cat may continue its excessive grooming long after the condition has been successfully treated.
If it is established that it is Psychogenic Alopecia alone that is causing your cat to lose hair, you can try and find the cause of the anxiety and if possible eliminate it.
Often though the exact cause cannot be pin pointed or the cat, being of the nervous type, reacts in the same way to every possible cause of stress in its environment. In this case your vet may prescribe anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication to keep the psychogenic behavior in check.
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