My cat is shedding

Hair loss is a natural occurrence in mammals, especially during moulting periods that coincide with seasonal changes or due to other factors that we will discuss below. 

There are situations in which fur loss, despite appearing worrisome, is a natural process, and others where we ought to be concerned and go to our trusted vet.

NATURAL CAUSES

Shedding fur is something that happens to many mammals. Depending on how abrupt the change in climate is, shedding tends to be more abrupt, i.e. animals exposed to more extreme climatic conditions and that go from hot to cold or vice versa more abruptly suffer more pronounced shedding, while animals that live in houses with heating or air conditioning that feel the change in weather less often shed more progressively.

Peak shedding tends to occur in autumn, and usually lasts between one to two weeks.

NON-NATURAL CAUSES

What should set off our red flags? Prolonged shedding, itching, patches of alopecia (hairless, bald patches), thickened skin, and sores, among others.

STRESS:

There are many causes for stress in a cat, ranging from relocation, to the arrival of a new member in the family, to many other circumstances. Whatever the origin, long-term stress will cause problems in our little furry friend's health and one of the most visible symptoms can be some changes in the fur, which can become opaque, dirty, dandruffy or even start to fall out more.

The two types of stress-related changes in the coat which can be seen are:

- Feline psychogenic alopecia: fur loss is caused by excessive grooming, the cat licks itself so intensely that it pulls out its fur. The skin remains healthy, merely showing patches with less or shorter fur than in other areas. It is found in those areas where the cat tends to lick itself (flanks, hind limbs or belly). 

- Telogen effluvium: when there is a peak of intense stress, the natural cycle of hair growth is cut off. Once the stressful episode has passed, the new fur grows back normally, with the old hair falling out and leaving hairless patches, usually within one to three months after the stressful episode.

If you suspect that your little furry friend is suffering from stress, it is very important that you visit your vet. Ask for a thorough examination and, if it is indeed stress and the vet thinks it is necessary, they will recommend an ethologist (a vet that specialises in behaviour) to evaluate the case.

NUTRITIONAL PROBLEMS

A poor diet with nutritional deficiencies can cause not only hair loss but also a poor appearance of the fur. That is why it is so important to eat properly, and to watch out for signs that may alert us that something is wrong.

Those of you who live with kittens that eat VeggieAnimals will be used to a shiny, fluffy fur. If the food is appropriate but the fur changes, you should check with your vet.

DISEASES

Allergies: animals with extreme shedding, itching, behavioural changes, excessive grooming, scratching, presence of sores, alopecia, thickening of the skin, are likely to be allergic.

The two most common types of allergy in cats are:

- Feline atopy: is a reaction that occurs in the body when various environmental or dietary factors are recognised as harmful by the body. Apart from shedding and skin wounds, symptoms include itching. But respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, sneezing and conjunctivitis, can also occur. 

- Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD): is an allergy to flea saliva which, when bitten, produces a skin reaction in the cat. Symptoms are itching, reddening of the skin, even sores and thickening of the skin. It tends to occur more frequently in Summer, in cats with access to the outdoors or with possible contact with fleas and the sores tend to be located on the back more towards the rear part of the back and neck, and sometimes the itching extends to the ears, eyes and other areas. The presence of fleas is not always noticeable, as it doesn't take a large number of flea bites to produce a severe reaction of the body.

Allergies must be diagnosed by a vet, and, the most appropriate allergy therapy shall be determined according to the cat's diet, environment and laboratory tests.

Skin infections: the presence of skin parasites, fungi or bacterial infections can also lead to serious skin problems affecting the fur.

Scabies: is caused by a mite, usually Notoedres cati. The sores are usually found on the head, although they can affect the paws and other areas. The sores are very itchy and the skin often becomes coarser, hairless and crusty. 

Malassezia: is a type of yeast that is commonly found on their skin. Sometimes it causes problems due to alterations, such as other infections, and this yeast overgrows, especially in skin folds, resulting in itching, swelling of the skin, redness, and hair loss, and this infection has a very characteristic odour.

Ringworm: is caused by a fungus, it affects any area of the body with very distinctive sores. Depending on the state of health of the animal, the infection will be more or less serious, and, in this case, the risk of contagion to other animals, including humans, is high; fortunately, the treatment is simple.

Dermatitis: skin infections can happen in different forms. Bacterial growth can be due to allergies, wounds, or the presence of previous infections caused by other organisms, or other causes. In the case of dermatitis, the skin becomes red, hot, may ooze or develop small scabs. It is very uncomfortable for the animal and may, therefore, lead to behavioural changes or excessive scratching.

If you suspect that your little furry friend may be suffering from a skin infection, please see your vet immediately. If you live with other animals, you may need to separate them for a period of time. Your veterinary clinic may take fur and skin samples for analysis and diagnosis, so that a curative therapy can be started as soon as possible.

Systemic diseases: some cats have symmetrical alopecia, i.e. the same pattern of hair loss on both sides of the body, it will be your veterinarian who should determine the diagnosis, however, in these cases, usually the problem is hormonal and there is an underlying disease that must be treated.

María González Sola. Co-founder of Refugio la vida color Frambuesa and responsible for the vet consults VeggieAnimals.