Seasonal hair loss

[YolandiFuckinVisser]

My cat loses her hair every winter. She goes bald on her belly during November then it spreads to inner thighs, tail and flanks to a greater or lesser extent. By the time spring comes round the hair is growing back and she will have a beautiful full fur coat by June.

The cat is 9 years old, this has happened every year for 5 years or so. She doesn't have fleas & i haven't used a flea treatment on her since summer. She behaves like a healthy, normal cat, appetite is good & she is very active. I don't think she's ill. The vet charged me £50 a couple of years ago to tell me there's no obvious cause & prescribe antibiotics which made no difference.

Any ideas or experience of this? I'm not overly concerned but she must be cold when outside!

Is there nothing different about her environment at that time - including the things the household does? Cast your mind over it.

My dog has this this too (bald belly, temples and parts of ears) - 'seasonal alopaecia'. He's perfectly healthy and doesn't seem to be cold when he's walking, so I'd guess if your cat is active when she's out she'll be fine. We did research a bit the first year we had him, apparently melatonin can sometimes help (the vet mentioned it last year too) but really neither the dog nor I want the faff of forcing a pill down every day (I'd imagine even worse with a cat!)

I wouldn't worry about it.

That's interesting, Errol. Is it light determined?

I'm not sure, but I'd guess it is. We've joked about buying him a lamp to bask under.

Only half a joke, I suspect? (I seem to recall that you can get SAD bulbs which would do the job I would have thought.)

Thankyou all. I always wonder if she's allergic to some plant in the vicinity that is flowering or releasing pollen or something at this time of year. I can't see her being persuaded to bask under the right lamp! Will just leave it i reckon.

What breed is she Yolandi?

MKitten has no hair on the insides of legs and arms or behind his ears. He's a Devon Rex. He has an awesomely bushy tail though. His nickname is Monsieur Legpit.

You could get her a beautiful sweater

Ooh, just picked up you haven't used a flea treatment on her since summer. Could it be a flea allergy perhaps?

Haha! Can't see the sweater going down too well!! She's a mog, we also have a sister from the same litter who has a beautiful thick lustrous coat at all times. I don't think she has fleas, the skin isn't soreor scabby either.

If they have an allergy to fleas, it just takes one bite, Try giving her a dose of her usual flea treatment.

Hair loss can be caused by mites etc - that was our vet's first thought when we got our dog (9 months and already showing the alopaecia, didn't know then it was seasonal).