Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Cat Losing Hair On Ears: 15 Possible Reasons and Solutions

cat losing hair on ears

It typically affects body regions that are poorly insulated, including the tips of the ears, feet, and tail. In severe cases, tissue death and shedding of the tips of the outer ears may follow. Treatment consists of rapid, gentle warming and supportive care. Amputation of affected regions may be required but should be delayed until the true edge of the affected tissue is determined. The best advice one can give regarding skin issues is to try to avoid them before they begin. Maintaining a clean environment for your cat the easiest and most effective way to prevent skin issues.

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Such lesions are mostly found on the skin on the cat’s head, like on her ears, and the chest and spine as well. Most cat parents will have a hard time noticing these parasites, but some symptoms might show you your cat is dealing with them. Ringworm is actually a fungus that affects the skin, hair, and sometimes the claws, which is called dermatophytosis. It is a zoonosis, which means that people can contract it from animals through direct contact or environmental contamination. Some animals have very mild or no signs, while others can have a thickened patch of skin with hair loss that can be round in shape. Areas usually affected are skin on the head, chest, front legs, and along the back.

Hair Loss

Other areas of the body (such as the face, armpits, groin, and feet) may also be affected. Diagnosis is based on your cat's history, signs, and the elimination of other skin diseases that cause itchiness. Your veterinarian will recommend a treatment plan that may include food changes and medications.

Most common causes of feline hair loss on ears

If you keep your cat happy and healthy while providing the necessary treatment, then all you must do is wait, and your cat's coat should be back to its former glory in no time. I’ve always wondered why cats have less hair around their ears, especially when there are bald spots on cat’s ears. Try to identify if there have been any events in your cat’s life that may be causing them stress.

cat losing hair on ears

Constant grooming eventually affects the fur, especially in spots with naturally short hair, like the ears and head. Managing feline stress requires pin-pointing the things that cause the anxiety and eliminating them from your cat's environment as much as possible. Some cats also respond to healthy stimulation, such as a cat tree to exercise on. This relieves boredom and gives your cat something to focus on besides themselves. However, some cats need the help of other solutions like pheromones or anxiety medications.

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Cat alopecia is the loss of hair in places where hair should be present. Bald patches can be a result of your cat’s excessive scratching, biting and licking. Affected cats do not usually suffer solely from hair loss, but also intense itchiness, skin redness, and sometimes sores and lesions. Therefore, a visit to the vet is highly recommended, especially if the symptoms are severe. Several disorders in cats can result in hair loss (alopecia) on the ears. Periodic pinnal alopecia causes patchy or complete hair loss on both pinna (ear flaps) of Siamese cats.

Your cat losing hair on their ears or head may simply be a result of genetics. There is no course of treatment to stop the loss or encourage hair to grow again once it has been lost. The diagnosis of mange is based on signs, history of exposure, examination, and discovery of mites on multiple skin scrapings. The mites are difficult to find, so your veterinarian may recommend treatment even if an infestation is not confirmed. Treatment options include dips and medications effective against mites (applied to the skin or given by mouth or by injection).

cat losing hair on ears

Treatment may not be necessary if the cat is not in pain and if only the ears are affected. Medications may help cats with pain or with signs in other parts of the body. With or without treatment, the ears will be permanently deformed. A cat losing its hair can be stressful for all parties involved. It can be extremely uncomfortable for the cat to go through a long period with irritated skin, and for owners, it is disheartening to see your loved one's beautiful coat reduced. There are many reasons why a cat might lose hair on its ears, but luckily there are many ways to combat this hair loss, provided you are informed.

Cats Lose Tips of Their Ears in the Cold - PETA

Cats Lose Tips of Their Ears in the Cold.

Posted: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Ear mites cause severe itching and can result in hair loss around your cat's ears and other affected areas. This condition is  contagious and will often be passed between cats. An ear mite infection will appear as itchy, red, irritated skin and hair loss around the ears due to itching. Sebaceous adenitis is an inflammatory disease of the sebaceous glands. It's quite rare in cats, but it does cause hair loss around the face, head, and ears. Facial alopecia is considered normal hair loss that occurs on the head between the eyes and ears.

Transmission is by direct contact with infected animals or contaminated objects. Ear hematomas are fluid-filled swellings that develop on the inner surface of the pinna (outer ear). Signs include head shaking or ear scratching due to itchiness. Treatment usually involves surgery to drain and flush the swellings.

These tests will help to rule out any metabolic causes of your cat's hair loss, such as Cushing’s disease (which is rare in cats), hyperthyroidism, or urinary tract disease. Mange in cats is a type of parasitic infection of the skin, caused by tiny parasites – mites. If the cat has weakened immunity, she becomes susceptible to diseases; thus, mites multiply faster in her skin and fur. When this fungal infection infects the cat’s hair shaft, her hair becomes weak and falls off.

The source of the itching can be ringworms, yeast, mites, bacteria, fleas, pollen, food allergens, and others. In the case of hereditary hair loss, there is nothing you can do. It’s your cat’s genes and the hair is going to fall out, no matter what.

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