Losing Fur!!

by Ana
(Male, Maldives)

My brother's cat kitty and her son patchy are shedding fur..could this be an allergy or is this normal..they would eat anything edible to humans (eg;pasta, fish, noodles..rice..etc.)..is this a disease??...they do fight with a stray cat who's is dominant in the area..please help..

RESPONSE:

Hair loss for any reason is called “alopecia”. See Cat Hair Loss
It’s common for cats to pull out hair around the base of their tail when they have fleas and also have an allergy to the fleabites. When cats are allergic to fleabites it only takes a single flea bite to produce a reaction and the reaction can last for a long time. So getting rid of the fleas is important and the inflammation can be treated with steroids and/or antihistamines. The stray cat could have fleas that have spread to Kitty & Patchy. See Fleas on Cats

There are other parasites that can cause a cat to pull out its hair such as mites that cause the condition called mange, or ringworm. See Cat Ringworm

If you discover that it isn’t any of these factors to blame then, yes, it could be a food allergy. Cats that eat food that are low on fat for a long time can get dry, flaky skin and the fur can become dull and greasy. Adding supplements of fatty acids to the food can help. Omega-3 fatty acids are a big help and there are special formulations for cats although I don’t know if they are easy to get where you are.

Food allergy indications may start out with small red spots on the skin that spread. These can turn into scabby sores that become infected because the cat scratches them. Itching around the head and face are usually what is seen in the cases of food allergies. Allergies to stuff in the air that gets breathed in such as dust mites or pollen can cause the same thing. If you see spots around the head and face then try changing the cats diets. See Allergies in Cats

I hope that some of these possibilities help you to assess what the problem is. Good luck in finding the answer that you require.