Cats tend to groom themselves quite thoroughly, often helped out by their owners who brush away stray fur to prevent cats from vomiting up hair balls onto the carpet. The pulling out of fur can be a stem-off symptom or “learned behavior” a cat will do to compensate for the emotional stress of being left alone. She also pulls fur out of the other cat we have....but I think that's because she is trying to get the snarls out of his fur. These clumps of fur can be painful for the cat. But nearly every day I find tufts of fur. By continuing to use this site you consent to the use of cookies on your device as described … Cats who pull, chew, or excessively groom their fur do this despite the fact that their skin does not itch. If you notice your purr-fect pal constantly biting or grooming their fur, pulling at their hair or pulling it out - or if they lick repeatedly at a certain spot, they may be overgrooming. WHAT IS FUR-MOWING? Question - my cat keeps scratching and pulling her fur out even though - NC. Sometimes it is the lower back itself that is bald. Find the answer to this and other Cat questions on JustAnswer. My cat (soon 1 year old) started to bite/pull out hair on her back and on the tail about a month ago. Firstly, do what you can to make your cat's life as comfortable as possible. Your vet will ask you certain questions which might include what you normally feed your cat, the type of shampoo you use and anything strange that might have happened which could have resulted in your cat losing their fur. Her tail has now bald spots and I find hairballs on the floor every morning. It turned out that the cat was allergic to fleas and was pulling out the fur because she was so itchy. Our cat has started pulling clumps of his fur our which we are finding all over the house. He doesn't visibly have any bald patches and he is an indoor cat (has been since we got him nearly a year ago), and this has only started in the last couple months. Assist them in getting rid of the clumps. So, if you see those clumps, don’t wait for your cat to groom them out of its fur. The skin itself looks fine. Q: I have two female cats, and one, Samantha, is pulling out her fur. Any suggestions as to how to reduce a cat's stress. This may be a manifestation of stress or anxiety. The height of the fur in this patch varies: sometimes it is almost bare, other times (such as in … This is common in senior cats and it manifests as joint pains. Why is My Cat Biting Their Fur? It is often disheartening when a cat or a pet is pulling out their fur but if my dog has taught me anything it is that pets often do it for a reason and are trying to tell you something. A yeast infection may be another cause of itching and hair pulling in cats, as could allergies to their food or the environment. I´m turning to you for some advice. 3 Methods to Prevent a Cat from Licking Out Fur. We have checked for fleas and bug bites, and dry skin but there seems to be nothing. The bald bit runs from the inside of his hind legs, up his tummy (the sides are fluffy) and finishes about an inch forward of the centre of his tummy. Often the belly is nearly as bald as if it were shaved. Give him some catnip toys too. He has also done this to rabbit-fur covered cat toys. The fur pulling started before she was diagnosed. We sometimes assume that cats will display sighs of stress in the same way as humans do - but this is not always the case. Those 12 tiny incisor teeth between your cat’s canines are designed for grooming, and under normal circumstances, they’re used to “comb” through the hair to remove debris, mats, and parasites. Cat diseases like osteoarthritis also cause a lot of pain. I was told by the first vet I consulted that it was probably stress or irritation from something in her environment, but just in case she gave her a steroid jab and told me to come back if the problem persisted (completely dismissing all the signs of diabetes I had reported to her. Cat hair loss or thinning hair down the middle of the back to the rump indicates a flea problem. cats- why does my male cat pull the hair out of my other cats (2 male, 1 female) backs? Having done some decoration, the other option here is that stress might be the problem. Often the owner thinks the hair is falling out. they all get along, just that every so often he starts pulling clumps of hair out of the others' backs. I have the same fur pulling problem with my cat, Saoirse. Organ failure – Malfunction of organs such as the gallbladder and pancreatic disease can also cause cats to lose weight fast. Cat pulling out fur. Cat hair loss treatment options depend on the underlying cause, severity, and location among other factors. There are lots of reasons for this behavior. It looks terrible. Why is My Cat Biting Their Fur? If your cat's pica has nothing to do with her health, then it may be up to you to help her quell it. A cat pulling hair out is likely dealing with a skin condition, allergies, parasites, hormone condition, skin infection, or possibly anxiety. Female cats are more likely than males to lick, chew, or pull on their fur. Usually, grooming keeps the fur clean and prevents fleas from taking hold. Other causes of cat hair and weight loss include: Dental problems – A toothache can cause your cat to eat less than usual or be particular with food selection. While this does happen, it is very rare for a cat to develop hair pulling from stress alone. I have a 1 year old black domestic short hair, recently she has been pulling her fur out from 1 spot on her back. Hi everyone. My family and I figured the other cat we have finally fought back and stood his ground (they play fight too hard sometimes). I also have had raccoons living in the walls of my house for about a month. In fact, by now, the hair on his back was too short to pull out, so he started pulling it out in the vicinity of another region ... Santa Barbara. Many cat owners may notice that their cat is losing fur around its rump and tail, and they don't know why. Pulling Fur Out by: Maine Coon Cat Nation Yes, they do actually end up pulling a wad of fur out. Compulsive Behavior. Treating and preventing licking depends on the underlying cause of the licking. Less commonly, cats with a condition called psychogenic alopecia may pluck out their hair and groom to excess because of a behavioral issue. If you’ve ruled out all other medical conditions with your veterinarian, try giving him a bigger variety of toys and make sure he has several in every room of the house. There are lots of reasons for this behaviour. She started this maybe a week ago. My cat had the exact same problem. If a cat has any small mats in their fur, they will try to pull those out. Usually it's not much, though. Sometimes a Mohawk of normal fur makes a stripe down the back, surrounded by bald spots on either sides. I never worried about it because it isn't obsessive behavior. In short, the cat is licking off all his or her hair. Here are some of the recommended treatment options: Cases due to allergies and irritants could be treated using products with ingredients such as antihistamines (for allergy), steroids, and salicylic acids among others. Hyperthyroidism is one of the most common and can result in hair loss, poor haircoat, mats, and many other symptoms. Your cat is also at the age when certain "older cat" disorders can set in. If you notice your purrfect pal constantly biting or grooming their fur, pulling at their hair or pulling it out - or if they lick repeatedly at a certain spot, they may be overgrooming. They just get out whatever tangle they were working on, and take a nap :) Certain breeds of cats (Persians, Maine Coons, and other long-haired breeds) are more likely to develop mats. About 2 weeks ago my female cat was missing a patch of fur. She doesn't have fleas. The bare patch extends forward just past her rear nipples. This information together with other tests they carry out would help determine the cause of your cat's hair loss. After a $200 trip to the cat psychologist (I shit you not) recommended by his vet, I learned my cat was "barbering" because he was stressed out. She is an indoor cat, too. Most of the time the reason for pulling out fur is a bug or skin tag that is bothering them. We use cookies to improve your experience. Were familiar with the stresses that humans face (mortgage payments, traffic jams), but we may not be aware that our seemingly calm cat is actually stressed out about something. It started on the back and went on to the tail. The chance that cat flea allergy is likely the cause increases if the hair loss is accompanied by bumps or scabs. I have an 8yo neutured short-haired male cat who for the past year has been persistently pulling his fur out of his tummy. Infection of the bladder is painful for cats in some cases, which is another reason why you might find you cat pulling out hair. But sometimes, if something becomes stuck in its fur or a cat neglects its grooming, mats may form. Overgrooming and fur pulling is the most common sign of stress and can occur as the only sign in an otherwise completely normal cat. If you notice your cat scratching and chewing at his fur, especially if your cat is pulling out fur at the base of his tail, there's a good chance you could have pests like fleas, mites, or even a tick on your hands. Although compulsive cat scratching, licking, or chewing behaviors can develop in any animal, they are more commonly observed in Siamese cats and other Oriental breeds. Once the underlying cause is known, specific treatments can be recommended to address the cat licking fur off problem. My cat is 17 years old and is pulling her hair out all over - Answered by a verified Cat Veterinarian We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. She recommended two ten minute play sessions a day where you focus exclusively on the cat the entire time, playing or petting him or whatever he's in the mood for. Symptoms include intense itching (itch causes your cat to over groom or chew the fur), redness, scaly patches, and hair loss. I've tried salves and sprays for itchy skin. I have a cat who licks her lower belly almost bare. It lives with another cat that didn't have that problem. There are many reasons why a cat might lose fur, but in a lot of cases, it’s because the cat is overgrooming: chewing the hair and breaking it off, or pulling it out completely. I'm assuming she's under some kind of stress but I don't know what triggered it. Cats tend to pull out their hair usually by accident when overgrooming themselves due to having itchy skin, matted fur, or even due to stress. I'm supposing some kind of emotional problem. She started this behavior a year or so ago, when she was around ten years old. She's a very affectionate, cuddly cat. Catnip can entice to play with the toy, rather than the last of the fur on his tail. However, we have to medicate both cats against fleas to keep the fleas from going from one to the other. Diabetic cats also lose hair. 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