Cat's hair thinning in spots after diet. When should I see a vet?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If Coco has been losing weight, I would recommend having her blood tested and having her thyroid level checked to see if the weight loss and fur loss are the cause of a hyperthyroid. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. From the photo there does not appear to be any bald spots, however, it is not a very close up view. Honestly, unless there are bald spots and/or she is scratching the area I would not be too concerned. If the problem persists though (like for a few months) then you should take her to your vet for an exam. Some reasons there could be changes in the hair coat: 1. Diet - the special diet she is eating may be causing some nutrient imbalance. You should talk to your vet about putting her on a supplement for her coat (like fish oils) as this may help. 2. Skin Allergies - even if she has never had any symptoms of allergies before, they can develop over time. If this was the case though, I would expect hair loss and/or scratching, redness of the skin, etc. If you are not seeing any of that then this is not as likely to be the problem. 3. Fleas - again, I would expect hair loss and scratching. If you are not noticing that, then this is also not very likely to be the problem. 4. Stress - even if you don't think your cat is stressed, she could be. Try to see if you could think of anything that could be causing stress like visiting family, stray cats hanging around outside, you got a new pet, new furniture, etc.... 5. Thyroid disease- either a low or high thyroid can cause problems with the hair coat. Your vet can do a blood test to check for this. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I would bring Kitten 4 to the vet for a checkup if you haven't already. Not getting enough nutrition, an underlying illness or metabolic issue, or even something such as parasites/fungal/skin infections could be causing hair loss. Excessive grooming by the kitten or mom may also cause hair loss in the areas where it is scratched or licked too much. If kitten is bothered by it, using an e-collar or tiny t-shirt to prevent scratching and chewing may help until your vet can take a look to determine the cause.

I recommend to have her examined. This spots may not be related to the diet and they could actually be something like ringworm which can spread to humans. if the lesions become a chronic issue, your best option to rule out food allergy is to feed a hydrolyzed protein diet and conduct a proper food trial. I hope this helps.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It looks like just minor hair loss. This could be from rubbing her eyes (allergies or irritation maybe?) or if she accidentally rubbed too hard against something. If you notice hair loss in other places too, or if you develope a red area or rash, we should add ringworm to the list of possibilities. I would say, watch for a few days. If nothing else hanged and Bella still seems happy, and eating well, keep monitoring. If any new signs arise including more bald spots, it’s time to see the vet. Best of luck to you and Bella!

I recommend to have Cike examined by her veterinarian. Hair loss and weight loss could indicate a hormonal imbalance, parasites or poor nutrition. The doctor may be able to figure out the cause was some basic testing and a physical exam. Once the cause is appropriately diagnosed, the correct treatment can begin. You may also consider having her spayed as this will help to stop shifting hormones which can result in poor hair coat. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Cats tend to have hair thinning on the sides of the head just above the eyes. As long as the skin is not red, thickened and there are no raised bumps, this is likely normal. If the hair thinning / hair loss continues / worsens, then I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at Apples so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps!