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Deuce · Dooney & Bourke

Kitty Cat Question

cat · Marc Jacobs

One of my cats had a serious case of hair loss,but she was only bald on from her paws and head.My Vet figured out that it was an allergic reaction and we were able to narrow the cause down to her rubbing aganist plastic bags.

It would probably be best to take her to the vet to make sure it isn't anything serious.

Deuce · Dooney & Bourke

Her appointment is next week. She has lost all of the fur on her belly, the inside and backs of her back legs and has bald bracelets around all 4 feet, she kind of looks like she has a poodle shave on her legs... pretty creepy. It is funny though because she is all black but her skin is super white. Yet another reason she is a freak.

Eurodaisy · Dooney & Bourke

I have some experience with bald kitties. My cat was half hairless about a year ago, and we couldn't figure out what was wrong. Totally bald on her belly, around the base of her tail, and the inside of her legs.

Turns out she is (maybe like your cat) somewhat of a freak. She was bald because she was grooming excessively, so the vet actually perscribed her kitty antidepressants, and that fixed her up real good. We don't give them to her all the time, but sometimes she gets in a little funk and starts yanking out all her fur for no good reason, so we give her a happy pill. Problem solved.

For your cat, it might be an allergic reaction or some other cause. If it's because of psychological reasons, though, there won't be a need for testing. I'm under the impression this condition is not uncommon, since our vet seemed to know exactly what was going on when we brought him our crazy-looking cat.

Here's an article that talks more about the problem: http://www.cathealth.com/psychalopecia.htm

-- Edited by Eurodaisy at 19:16, 2007-02-03

Cricket · Gucci

Like Eurodaisy, my cat is a freak too. When I was pregnant with my oldest, she started gnawing on her tail, and half the fur came off of it. Most of it grew back, but then she did it again when I was pregnant with my second. The last inch and a half of her tail is still hairless and it's been 4 years now. My vet thinks she could sense the changes and it just made her nervous. She's always been a nervous cat. Have there been any major changes around your household lately? Are you pregnant? Anyway, I'd take her into the vet and go from there. Good luck!

Deuce · Dooney & Bourke

I read that it could be from overgrooming, but I just don't really see her cleaning herself a lot. Eurodaisy, did you notice an increase in your cat's cleaning it's self? I do see chunks of fur hanging out of her mouth, but it seems like that is just normal cleaning and the fur is falling out like crazy.
No household changes and definitely no babies coming. I know she is stressed a lot though. I have a dog and another cat and she usually tolerates the cat but her and the dog are usually at war. We have had the bald kitty for 6 or 7 years and the dog just turned 4. I am officially stumped.
I am just switched her food back to what she was eating about 6 mos ago with no problems and hope that helps. I am afraid that the vet is going to try to give me pills to give her which is practically impossible to do. She is a beast and can completely evade me for days and then kick my a$$ when I finally catch her and try to pill her. She also disappears when she hears me get the cat carrier to go to the vet. She could really use a happy pill though, maybe I should take a few after this ordeal as well

Eurodaisy · Dooney & Bourke

What I noticed in my cat is that she was grooming really aggressively... she would always lick and bite really hard when I watched her clean herself. I think stress might be the problem, especially in light of your cat's dynamic with the dog. And seeing big chunks of fur isn't a good sign, either. Poor kitty.

Good luck, and let us know what the vet says!