Licking Away Fur – How to Put an End to Your Cat’s Baldness
What would you think if you had a lovely, fluffy kitty and it suddenly started to lose its hair? Unfortunately, this problem is more common than many people realize and, in many cases, the hair loss is actually the result of your kitty simply overgrooming or doing other things that are causing hair loss to occur. Just as humans can suffer from obsessive compulsive disorders that cause them to repeatedly engage in the same behavior, your cat may do the same thing when it comes to grooming. As a result, baldness, which is also referred to as alopecia may occur. At the same time, there are other potential causes of feline baldness that needs to be ruled out before you assume the alopecia is the result of overgrooming.
Exploring Other Potential Causes of Alopecia
In addition to excessive grooming, there are several other potential causes of alopecia. Some of these include:
o Skin Parasites – parasites such as fleas and mites may cause your cat’s skin to become irritated, which can lead to overgrooming. Fortunately, it is usually pretty easy to spot fleas and mites, so it shouldn’t be too difficult for you to diagnose this as the cause of the baldness. In addition, there are several medications and other products available on the market that can help you get rid of these parasites and give your cat some relief from the irritation.
o Fungal Infections – fungal infections can also cause hair to fall out or make it brittle, which makes its break easily and for your cat to appear bald. If your cat is suffering from a fungal infection, you will likely need to visit your vet for medication to clear up the condition.
o Hormones – certain hormonal conditions can also lead to hair loss. By performing a simple blood test, your veterinarian will be able to determine if hormones are causing your cat’s hair loss to occur.
o Allergies – allergies can cause several problems to develop in your kitty, including hair loss. In addition, allergies can lead to skin irritation, which may cause your cat to overgroom.
If all of these conditions have been ruled out, you may have a cat that suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder. It is important to keep in mind, however, that there may be certain triggers or environmental factors that are causing your pet to overgroom. By understanding these triggers, you can more effectively treat the problem and, hopefully, put an end to your cat’s obsessive grooming.
Treating Overgrooming
In many cases, cats who overgroom are doing so in response to stress or anxiety. Therefore, one step in the treatment process may simply involve giving your cat anxiety medication or better yet, making changes in your household that will alleviate stress. For example, your cat may begin the behavior when a new cat is added to the household. By separating the cats and gradually reintroducing them, your cat’s stress and anxiety may be reduced and it may slow down on the grooming.
Providing your cat with other activities may also help reduce its tendency to overgroom. By introducing new toys or engaging in new activities, your cat may find other ways to entertain itself that do not involve licking its fur away!
