It’s concerning to notice that your cat losing hair on ears, but there are several causes for cat hair loss. Some parasites are simple to treat, while others need the assistance of a doctor. In any case, understanding the origins may help you get your cat the care he requires.
Table of Contents
Why Is My Cat Losing Its Hair?
Hair loss (alopecia) occurs as a result of one of the following conditions.
1. Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is the most prevalent disease that cats suffer from, and it is also the most common reason for cat hair loss. Excessive sweating, hair loss, weight loss, a curb or complete standstill in grooming, an overactive thirst and urination, and insatiable hunger are all signs of hyperthyroidism. Fortunately, most cases of hyperthyroidism are readily treated with medicine or iodine radioactivity treatment.
2. Hypothyroidism
The thyroid gland in cats with hypothyroidism fails to generate adequate amounts of thyroid hormones, resulting in a metabolic disorder. The disorder causes hair loss as well as a variety of other symptoms, such as tiredness, weight gain, and weakness.
3. Fleas
You may have flea allergy dermatitis, which causes hair loss. When a cat is afflicted with flea allergy dermatitis, she scratches to alleviate the unpleasant sensation.
4. Allergies
When a cat has an allergic reaction to something it has eaten or come into contact with within the environment, he or she might suffer from hair loss and itching. Finding out why a cat is allergic to something is the most difficult aspect of diagnosing an issue. When it comes to treating an allergy, removing the substance from the cat’s diet or environment is usually necessary.
The itching will go away as the allergen works its way out of a cat’s body. A doctor may also prescribe medication to alleviate the most severe symptoms. Most cats will grow their hair back once the system has returned to normal.
5. Pyoderma
Pyoderma is a bacterial disease that begins as a result of skin trauma, such as scratching and biting. The infection leads to localized hair loss, as well as a pus discharge that hardens over the lesions. Because cleaning away the discharge is necessary to promote healing, however, because pyoderma is a secondary infection, determining the source of the irritation is still critical.
6. Demodectic Mange
When mites burrow within the skin, they may cause severe itching even though they aren’t visible.
Skin scrapings are taken, placed under a microscope, and examined to identify mange. Treatment generally entails using a pyrethrin product on the animal’s skin under veterinary supervision.
7. Ringworm
Cat-scratch disease (CTD) is a bacterial infection that causes circular patches of hair loss as the fungus consumes the hair shafts. It’s generally treated with lotions or tablets, but some veterinarians recommend shaving the sick cat to completely remove the fungus. The hair should grow back once the ringworm fungus is eliminated.
8. Notoedric Mange
Hair loss in cats can sometimes be caused by not edges cati, or notoedric mange, a common parasite that causes alopecia. Notoedres cati infection may cause hair loss on the ears, neck, eyelids, and other facial and upper body areas. Although not edges cati is relatively unknown, it is the second most prevalent parasite in cats.
9. Cushing’s Disease
Hair loss caused by Cushing’s disease, also known as hyperadrenocorticism, is a considerably rarer cause. Other symptoms that will occur simultaneously include an increased appetite and thirst, with mild to severe lethargy. It’s possible that your cat’s skin feels thin and/or that the stroking it enjoyed previously irritates it. Cushing’s disease is associated with hair loss on both sides of the body. This means that what is missing on one side of the animal’s body will be comparable to what is missing on the other. The majority of this hair loss occurs in the mid-lower abdomen, but it can show up anywhere on the body.
10. Congenital Hypotrichosis
Congenital hypotrichosis is a type of hair loss that causes only thinning of the hair. It differs from true alopecia, which leads to baldness. Birman, Burmese, Siamese, and Devon Rex cats are reportedly predisposed to this genetic problem.
11. Eosinophilic Granuloma
The actual cause of eosinophilic granuloma is unknown, although veterinarians believe it is linked to an allergy. This condition generally causes painful rashes on the back of the thighs that result in hair loss.
12. Feline Acquired Symmetric Alopecia
It is a relatively uncommon disease that causes hair loss on the belly, inner legs, and genital area. The precise cause of the illness is unknown, but it is thought to be connected to hormonal levels.
13. Psychogenic Alopecia
Excessive grooming and chewing can cause hair loss in cats suffering from psychogenic alopecia, a compulsive sickness that makes them compulsively groom themselves. Hair loss is caused by excessive licking and chewing, with some cats even ripping out their hair. Only a veterinarian will reach this conclusion if all other possible causes have been excluded.
How To Avoid Cat Hair Loss
Hair loss is an issue that you can do little about, but there are a few things you may do at home to preserve your cat’s skin and fur healthy.
Feed Your Cat a Nutritional Diet
The ideal approach to prevent hair loss as a result of food allergies or an unhealthy diet is to begin by feeding your cat a nutritious diet. Select meals high in protein with the first ingredient being meat, preferably salmon or turkey.
Some meats, such as beef or chicken, may not contain all of the nutrients that your cat needs. The ideal meals will include the most digestible components for optimal feline health.
Although some veterinarians warn that fish-based diets might induce hyperthyroidism, this is typically the case only with low-quality foods. To prevent this condition, add a Vitamin E and Vitamin B supplement to your cat’s diet.
Provide a Safe, Comfortable Place for Your Cat to Live in
If you let your cats go outside, make sure they have all the required vaccinations. Not only will this protect them from preventable diseases that can result in hair loss, but it will also prevent them from acquiring more serious and sometimes deadly illnesses.
Preventative Treatments
Use a preventative treatment that protects against all parasites, including fleas, mites, heartworms, ringworm, and ticks for your outdoor cat. Any preventative you use should be specifically designed for cats.
