Cat hair loss
Cat hair loss can occur for various reasons. Cats moult intensively during the change of seasons. Shedding occurs in spring and winter. You can read more about molting in the article When a cat moults, what to do?
It can also often happen that the hair loss has a different cause. Why does the cat’s fur fall out? How to fight hair loss?
Causes of cat hair loss
As I wrote in the introduction, most often cat hair loss is caused by the change of coat during the change of seasons. A worrying factor is hair loss for other reasons. Namely, hair loss can be caused by:
- allergic reactions,
- bacterial diseases of the skin,
- fungal diseases of the skin,
- vitamin deficiency,
- an unbalanced diet.
Allergy-induced hair loss
The most common cause of hair loss in cats is an allergic reaction. Cat allergies are often caused by food allergies. However, there are cases where allergic reactions are triggered by airborne allergens, such as pollen. For more information on food allergies, see the article “Food Allergy in Cats”.
In the case of allergies, characteristic bald patches are formed. In addition, the skin becomes very inflamed and becomes red in color. What’s more, the affected place is very itchy. Therefore, in this case, the cat may constantly scratch and become irritated.
Hair loss and bacterial and fungal diseases
Another reason for cat hair loss are skin diseases caused by bacteria and fungi. In this case, characteristic, bald spots on the skin are also formed. In addition, the skin can change its appearance to red, and have spots of various colors. In this case, consult your veterinarian. First, a skin scraping should be examined and the specific bacterium or fungus detected. Then the veterinarian selects the appropriate preparation in order to cure the lesion.
Vitamin deficiency and poor diet
Inadequate diet, and thus a deficiency of necessary vitamins, is another reason for cat hair loss. Usually in this case, along with hair loss, there is a dull, brittle coat and dandruff. The most important compounds and elements that play a role in the hair development cycle are: zinc, B vitamins, selenium, copper, biotin, vitamins A, E and C, and the correct ratio of Omega 3 and Omega 6 acids. as well as zinc and selenium can be found in brewer’s yeast. In the case of Omega fatty acids, attention should be paid to Omega 3 fatty acids, which can be found in fish, wild salmon oil or krill.
