Why is my cat losing hair on her back, overgrooming, and has dandruff?

Question

Hi, my 12 year old Russian Blue cat has hair loss on both sides of her spine for about 2 inches on her mid to lower back. I think she may be excessively grooming those areas, but I am not sure. She is overweight so I am not sure if she can reach there, and she has dandruff on her lower back. Thank you for your help. Pet's info: Cat | Russian Blue | Female | spayed | 12 years and 6 months old | 15 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor Trixie! There are a number of things that could cause itching and over-grooming with hair loss like this. For hair loss in the particular area that you describe (the mid-to-lower back), the most common cause is fleas - so if she isn't already on a good quality monthly flea control medication such as Revolution or Advantage Multi, this is the first thing I would suggest. If you're positive that she doesn't have fleas, then other possibilities would include allergies, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). In that case, I would recommend having her examined by a vet to determine the problem, since prescription medication will be needed to effectively treat these issues.

Why is my cat losing hair on her back, overgrooming, and has dandruff?

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