Why is my old cat losing hair and has a painful lump on her back?

Question

My cat has a balding/thinning patch on her back, just before her "sweet spot" in front of her tail. The skin does not seem discolored, but I think there is a small lump there. She licks me urgently (she likes to lick) when I gently touch it, like it hurts. She is old, indoor, declawed (not by me), overweight (on a slowly working diet for years) & has never really groomed well. There have been no changes in behavior, diet, or routine. The rest of her coat looks fine. Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 16 years and 9 months old | 15 lbs

Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH · Accepted Answer

The most common reason I will see hair loss at the tail base is a flea allergy. If there are any other animals in the house that go outside, I would certainly make sure that Squeaky is on a flea prevenative (even if you have never seen fleas on her). I have also seen seborrhea at that location in overweight cats that don't groom themselves well, but normally they will have more skin flaking than it looks like Squeaky does. That can cause hair loss and itching and can be treated topically. However, since you think there is a lump there, I would recommend having your vet evaluate it. They can perform a fine needle aspirate and insert a small needle into the lump to get some cells out and see what the lump is then decide on the best treatment plan for her. Good luck! I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Why is my old cat losing hair and has a painful lump on her back?

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