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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Any ideas why my cat has suddenly got bald patches?

27 replies

MistyIsland · 20/02/2020 19:42

My beautiful cat has within the last week suddenly lost a lot of fur on his hind legs, which is now spreading to his belly and front legs.

He’s at the vets Saturday morning (only appointment I could get this week) but just wondered if anyone has ever seen anything like this? Doesn’t seem overly sore and I’ve not caught his excessively licking the area 🤷‍♀️

He’s up to date on his flea and wormers. He’s eating drinking, playing all ok his poo is fine no signs of anything.

I’ve attached a picture of it, started as a really small patch and just got bigger and bigger

Any ideas why my cat has suddenly got bald patches?
Any ideas why my cat has suddenly got bald patches?
OP posts:
Plump82 · 21/02/2020 06:24

Aww poor soul!! My first thought was an allergy of some sort? I hope it's something easy to treat when you go to the vets. I'm glad he seems his usual self!

thecatneuterer · 21/02/2020 09:50

Well it doesn't look like ringworm and is unlikely to be mites, so that probably only leaves allergies. But to what? I'm taking care of an almost bald cat at the moment and we have absolutely no idea what's causing it

Littlepond · 21/02/2020 09:52

Could be fleas / flea allergy. This happened to my lovely cat and he got a bald patch on his back. Vet gave us proper flea stuff (over the counter had stopped working, so we got prescription) and some cat-germoline and he was back to full floof in no time!

Namethecat · 21/02/2020 09:55

My cat has a large patch on her belly . Hers is due to overgrooming, which some cats do .

thecatneuterer · 21/02/2020 09:56

Well yes, flea allergy is always the most likely, but if he's up to date on 'proper' flea treatments (and not Frontline) then it shouldn't be that.

Dodie66 · 21/02/2020 10:03

Mine had that and had an allergy to house dust mites. The vet put her on medications which helped a bit. Get them to test for allergies

Original poster
MistyIsland · 21/02/2020 21:44

Thank you.

I use advantage and advocate from the vets.

I’m going to get some advocate tomorrow when we see the vet I’m hoping it’s just a flea allergy. I gave him a quick brush and used the wet paper towel but nothing red appeared.

I’ve stripped and washed all the bedding and sprayed the entire top floor, I moved the beds around and chests even went over the skirting board twice, I even did the mattress and swapped the duvets and pillows over (will get the other washed at the laundrette) with indorex spray this morning. I shall do the downstairs tomorrow, just done a small spray to make sure it doesn’t discolour my sofa. I have vacuumed and vacuumed the whole house.

I’ve also washed all the cats bedding. It’s not dry yet but fingers crossed if it’s fleas it should stop.

OP posts:
Beamur · 21/02/2020 21:47

Stress grooming?
Does she go outside?
Maybe a new cat in the neighbourhood?

Wolfiefan · 21/02/2020 21:48

How old is your cat? Any other symptoms? (I wondered about thyroid problem.)

Original poster
MistyIsland · 21/02/2020 21:53

He’s mainly an indoor cat (only been out 3 or 4 times in 8 months - his choice entirely)

Eating and drinking is fine, pooing and still playing with me. I’ve not seen him excessively groom himself.

OP posts:
Original poster
MistyIsland · 21/02/2020 21:53

Sorry he’s 3 in June.

OP posts:
Original poster
MistyIsland · 21/02/2020 21:56

We do have a new puppy but they get on really well (totally in love with each other) as I wondered if he was stressed but we do have some of those adaptors plugged in because our Bengal can get stressed.

OP posts:
CuckooCuckooClock · 21/02/2020 21:59

Stress

Wolfiefan · 21/02/2020 21:59

Could well be stress or even allergy to the new dog.

Beamur · 21/02/2020 22:01

Can the cat get away from the dog? Even if they are fine together, the change might be stressful.

Original poster
MistyIsland · 21/02/2020 22:09

Yes cat and dogs are separated, he can escape any time he wants. Dogs are are not allowed upstairs, cats can roam wherever they like. If it’s stress it’s odd that it’s been 4 weeks since we got the puppy but only a week since he lost his fur. I would have thought it would have been something which happened a lot quicker, but they really do like each other.

It’s the same breed as our other dog, and he never had this before.

He doesn’t seem stressed but then maybe he is

OP posts:
StormBaby · 21/02/2020 22:12

I think it's stress grooming. I've known cats to do this just because their owners had new bedroom furniture fitted. Cats are weird!

slipperywhensparticus · 21/02/2020 22:13

Mine used to strip himself at the first sign of stress I've got one now that over groomed himself when he first came here (he was given a forever home alone then given away for free 8 weeks later I had two of his brothers so I took him in he found it traumatic) he settled with feliway

Wolfiefan · 21/02/2020 22:15

Our old cat used to have a flea allergy. Just one bite would set her off. Any chance the pup came with fleas?

Reythemamajedi · 21/02/2020 22:16

My cat had this and it was an allergy, he had a week of steroids and seems better. We tested for ringworm as well but he tested negative.

Chocolatedaim · 21/02/2020 22:22

My cat went through a stage of ‘over grooming’
It was when I was pregnant, I brought one of those plug ins and tried to spend soMe quiet time with her.
Her fur grew back fairly quickly

Original poster
MistyIsland · 21/02/2020 22:31

@Wolfiefan he very well could of, according to the breeder (I never actually checked this throughly) he was done when he had his injections then was done again when our vet did his second (well 2 days after cause I forgot to get some) I got enough from the vets to do both dogs for the next 3 months.

If it’s fleas maybe one was on the dogs (who have been in and out of the garden) and with the cat cuddling up to the dogs it transferred, I don’t know.

I will finish treating the house tomorrow.

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 21/02/2020 22:55

Hope it’s all sorted soon. No new cats in the neighbourhood bothering him?

wedding33 · 22/02/2020 00:05

My long haired cat has had this for the last 3 winters. I was really worried about her because it's huge patches. Vet has never been able to find anything wrong and thinks it's central heating and not being outside as much (?)

SpoonBlender · 22/02/2020 00:17

I was going to say the same as Wolfiefan - our rescue is very very flea-sensitive, we've had to step up fleadrops for every pet to monthly else he starts overgrooming the itchy places. A long but small-dose course of steroids got everything back under control.