Everyone who’s owned a cat knows that they constantly shed fur. However, health issues can sometimes lead to abnormal amounts of hair loss. This type of hair loss is known as alopecia and can mean that your cat is suffering from a major health problem. You need to be concerned if you notice abnormal amounts of hair loss. Pruritic and non-pruritic are the two main categories of feline hair loss. Pruritic hair loss will cause your pets skin to itch and have him scratching, biting, or licking the places on his body that are affected. With non-pruritic hair loss, the condition may be painful without being itchy, and your cat may still lick the area.

One of the most common causes of pruritic hair loss in cats is allergic reactions. Felines have them in much the same way people do. can cause a dermatitis that causes your pet to frantically scratch and bite himself trying to eradicate the itching. See your vet if this occurs, because he may want you to give your cat medication on a systematic basis that will keep fleas and bugs from biting him and starting colonies in his fur. On the other hand, the allergy may be attributable to other reasons such as changing your kitty’s food or exposure to dust, pollen, and other irritants.

Felines can also develop ringworm which is caused by a fungus. It’s very contagious, and once it gets started under your cat’s fur, you may not even know it’s there until his fur begins to fall out. Circular lesions will usually develop on cats with ringworm. Your cat will need to get anti-fungal cream to combat this condition. The condition will usually go away on its on after three months, then it will take another three months for the hair to grow back.

Other causes for feline hair loss include stress, dry skin, an abscess, a traumatic surgery or injury, Cushing’s disease, and hyperthyroidism. Some cats are prone to feline symmetrical alopecia because of their hormones. This condition can usually be treated with hormone injections. If you aren’t exactly sure what the problem is, it’s best not to try to treat the condition on your own. You should take your cat to a vet to see exactly what the problem is so it can be treated accordingly. Doc No.kslhwde-sdtlgh

Kristie Brown writes on a variety of topics from health to technology. Check out her websites on how to get rid of heartburn and causes of heartburn

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