Causes of Hair Loss in Older Cats

It can be disconcerting to see your beloved feline friend losing its hair, so it's a natural reaction to be concerned. Here you'll find a list of some possible causes of hair loss in older cats.

Hyperthyroidism

If your cat is losing weight, as well as its hair, then it may be suffering from hyperthyroidism. Peteducation.com says treatments for this disease include removing part of the thyroid and a radioactive iodine therapy.

Lice, fleas and other pests

Another possible cause of hair loss in cats is infestation via a number of pests, the most common of which are fleas or lice. For fleas, traditional flea control methods are always effective. These include flea baths or topical treatments such as Frontline. Products containing pyrethrin are effective against lice.

Ringworm

Ringworm, a fungal infection, may be to blame for your cat's hair loss. In spite of its name, however, worms are not involved at all in this affliction. Miconazole, lime sulfur dips, oral griseofulvin or itraconazole are the treatments available according to Peteducation.com. Be aware that ringworm can be passed on to humans, as well.

Diet and allergies

Your cat may be allergic to something in the environment, or even its food, if you notice that along with hair loss your cat is licking its feet a lot and has inflamed ears. For dietary allergies, trial and error with alternate foods is the only method of managing the hair loss. For environmental allergies, a vet will need to perform patch tests and exclusion trials.

Feline acquired symetrical alopecia

A final potential cause of your cat's hair loss may be feline acquired symmetrical alopecia. There is no treatment for this disease and can only be diagnosed after ruling out all other possible causes.