The hair coat of cats is among their most striking features. The loss of that beautiful hair can be very distressing to both the cat and her guardian. There are a number of disorders that result in hair loss or thinning in cats because of parasites, allergies, immune problems, infections, hormone or endocrine imbalances and psychological factors.

EOSINOPHILIC GRANULOMA

Eosinophilic granulomas cause hair loss because of skin ulceration and granulation, which is an outgrowth of capillaries and connective tissue cells in an open wound. Cats with allergies or who are immune-depressed are susceptible to this group of disorders. They tend to recur and are treated with cortisone. There are four general types.

• Rodent ulcer, also known as indolent or eosinophilic ulcer, appears on mostly female cats up to nine years old and is the most potentially dangerous of the four. It begins as painless shiny red patches of hairless skin, usually on the middle upper or lower lip or the back of the jaw behind the last upper molar. It’s not itchy but can become an open sore and erode the lip, and may turn into a squamous cell cancer or fibrosarcoma. It may be brought on by a tooth infection or an allergy. Cats exposed to the leukemia virus often get a rodent ulcer and should be tested for FeLV. It needs immediate treatment because of the possibility of cancer.

• Eosinophilic plaques (patches) occur in young to middle-aged cats. Signs are a raised red circular plaque with hair loss on the stomach or inner thighs.

• Linear granulomas affect kittens and young cats and more females than males. They present as linear plaques in the back of the hind legs.

• Mosquito bite hypersensitivity causes crusty sores with erosion and scabs on the bridge of the nose and the tips of the ears, and is sometimes accompanied by fever and swollen lymph nodes.

MANGE

• Demodectic mange is rare in cats but when it occurs causes hair thinning and loss around the eyes, creating a moth-eaten appearance. The culprit is the demodex mite, which causes a mild infection with itchy, scaly, crusty sores in immune-compromised cats who may have FeLV, diabetes mellitus, chronic respiratory infections, or be receiving chemotherapy or hydrocortisone. It can be either localized or more generalized over the body and it is not contagious. Sometimes this type of mange goes away on its own, but it can be treated with medicated dips and shampoos.

• Other kinds of mange that cause hair loss are notoedric mange (scabies) and otodectic mange (ear mites), which are highly contagious. To complement conventional treatment a natural diet to boost immunity, homeopathic remedies, particularly Sulfur, and herbs such as garlic and echinacea may help. Ear mites respond to mullein flower oil or yellow dock and reishi mushrooms along with conventional therapy, which consists of ivermectin and flea spray.

ALOPECIA (Baldness)

• Feline endocrine alopecia is thinning of hair or balding on the insides of the back legs and over the lower stomach and genital area. Neutered males and spayed middle-aged females are more susceptible. Interestingly, sometimes the hair grows back and then thins out again. Since this is only a cosmetic problem, no treatment is recommended.

• Psychogenic alopecia is caused by compulsive self-grooming and is characterized by thin hair in a strip down the back. High-strung cats like Siamese, Burmese, Himalayans and Abyssinians often get this type of alopecia. It’s also brought on by stress, boredom or trauma in any cat. The best treatment is to make positive changes in the cat’s life.

RINGWORM

Ringworm, caused by the fungus Microsporum canis, is another unsightly skin disorder that causes hair loss, mostly in kittens. It’s identified by scaly, crusty or red, usually circular patches with hair loss in the center, or broken hairs around the face and ears. It’s very contagious; humans can get it from cats or vice versa. Children and the elderly tend to be more susceptible. Ringworm advances to draining sores made worse by licking and scratching. Generally ringworm attacks young, malnourished, or immune-depressed cats. It’s transmitted to animals from spores in the soil or from the infected hair of dogs and cats. Sometimes ringworm goes away on its own. To get rid of the source of infection, clean thoroughly with bleach and vacuum.

Holistic vet Dr. Shawn Messonnier recommends herbal shampoos with calendula and goldenseal and any of the following herbs used concurrently with conventional treatment: astralagus, dandelion leaf, Echinacea, garlic, German chamomile, gotu kola, Oregon grape, sage, turmeric and yellow dock taken internally, along with a natural diet.

HYPOTHYROIDISM

Hypothyroidism is a rare disorder in cats that can cause hair loss. Thyroid hormone deficiency impairs new hair growth. Other symptoms of hypothyroidism are lethargy, constipation, weight gain, and mental dullness. It’s diagnosed by a blood test and treated with hormone replacement therapy.

EXCESS CORTISONE

Too much cortisone can cause symmetrical hair loss on the trunk along with darkening of the skin. Adrenal gland or pituitary gland tumors or cortisone medication can lead to a pot-bellied look, weight gain, fluid retention, and disorders of the liver, pancreas or urinary system. Treatment for a tumor is removal of the adrenals with cortisone replacement.

STUD TAIL

Unneutered male cats and sometimes females and neutered males can get stud tail, which is caused by over-secretion of the sebaceous glands. This leads to a greasy, rancid, waxy material at the tip of the tail base. Hair follicles can get infected and fall out. Treatment is medicated along with cornstarch or baby powder. Neutering the male may also help.

Holistic vet Dr. Richard Pitcairn believes that hair loss can be due to bad nutrition (low protein intake or eating commercial cat foods), chemical toxicity, fluoride in the water or aluminum allergy. He recommends removing the substances that cause hair loss, a natural diet and homeopathic remedies such as Thuya and Selenium.

If your cat experiences hair loss, have your vet evaluate her immediately. In most cases, that beautiful coat will grow back with appropriate treatment.