Why is my long-haired outdoor cat losing hair in large clumps?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to a number of reasons such as allergies, a bacterial infection, mange, among many other reasons. It does sound like you think he may be feeling sick as well so I highly recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment so that he can be started on the right therapy. Best of luck!

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There is a variety of reasons that can explain alopecia or hair loss. The causes can easily be differentiated by the clinical signs associated with it and the physical exam findings. If Freckles is only showing some hair loss without scratching or overgrooming then it could conditions such as alopecia areata that can affect cats and usually resolves on its own. If there is evidence of scratching and you start noticing some redness or irritation associated with it, then other conditions such as allergies are possible. If you notice him overgrooming himself in that area then it could be something like psychogenic alopecia which is more of a behavioral issue. I think that since he is not having overt clinical signs and it is mostly hair loss, I think it is possibly transient and could resolve on its own. You can monitor this closely and if it does not resolve or it worsens then have him examined by your veterinarian. Good luck!

I recommend taking him to a veterinarian. If he is not on flea prevention I highly recommend using it as you may not always see fleas on cats. It looks like he has a skin infection and needs antibiotics so taking him to a vet is important. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

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.

Your cat may well have ear mites, which are contagious and extremely itchy, causing cats to scratch their ears raw inside and in front of the ears. I would have an exam done right away so your veterinarian can start the appropriate treatment. You'll have to figure out how to get him into a kennel to go for a vet visit!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Shedding is completely normal, especially as the temperature gets warmer. What would be abnormal is if you are seeing bald spots of skin on your cats, especially if it the skin is pink/red or dry and crusting. This could indicate a skin infection or allergies. I hope this is helpful!