Why does my cat have bald lines on his skin? Is it normal shedding?

Hello, congrats on the new kitty! It is normal to have a small area of thin hair in front of the ears, such as what you're seeing in Brownie, so that is not a concern as long as Brownie isn't acting abnormal by scratching excessively at the ears or showing other signs of discomfort. His hair otherwise looks nice and thick in the photos so I suspect he has normal shedding, which you can help control with regular brushing. However, if there are patches of distinct hair loss, or if he seems itchy, then you should have a vet take a look to make sure he doesn't have a skin condition requiring medication. Hope this helps.

He is beautiful! From the photos he hasca lovely thick coat so unless you can see bald patches in it it will just be natural shedding. It is amazing how much hair a cat can lose, and you tend to find they moult more when it is warm, especially in the summer. It is nothing to worry about, just annoying for you trying to clean up after him!

That is definitely an interesting pattern of hair loss. I suspect this has to do with some sort of trauma. A scrape if he was trying to get “through” something, a chemical or thermal burn down the back, even a reaction to a topical medication such as a flea and tick application. From the picture the skin appears pretty normal, but pictures can be deceiving. If the fur does not appear to be growing back soon, or if it looks to be spreading then I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

If there are no bald spots, red skin or scratching, then this can only be assumed to be normal shedding for your cat. Cats do tend to shed quite a bit, especially longer to medium haired cats. The black tips is likely the hair follicle. I would not be concerned about this at all. You can give your pet daily fish oils (pet formulated from your local pet store) to promote healthy haircoat and skin as a general health tip.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your kittens. They will need to see a veterinarian for skin testing. They will likely need a fungal culture to check for ringworm and skin scrapes to look for mites under the microscope. There is a common mite in kittens that lives within the hair follicles. An overgrowth can result in bald spots that do not typically itch. These mites are microscopic and cannot be seen by looking at the cats. I hope this information helps and you are able to get their skin cleared up!

Cats normally have thin hair in the areas in front of the ears. I see no redness or scabbing so I think this is normal. ( https://www.petcoach.co/article/facial-alopecia-thin-hair-above-eye-in-cats/ )

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). There is some redness underneath the fur, which may indicate an inflammation and not only a physiological shedding. A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths (be careful not to touch the eye with any of these solutions). Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any scratching (if any). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

With healthy shedding there is no bald spots. So to me, this looks like either mange or a flea allergy. I know you said he isn’t scratching but some of the areas do look red (could just be photo quality). With the flea allergy they’re actually allergic to the saliva of the flea so it only takes one to bite them for a reaction to happen; but usually they are scratching. I suggest you get him to your vet for an exam so they can give you a diagnosis and he can get the proper treatment.

Hi there and thank you for using Boop by Petco! Cats tend to have hair thinning on the sides of the head just above the eyes. As long as the skin is not red, thickened and there are no raised bumps, this is likely normal. If the hair thinning / hair loss continues / worsens, then I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at Apples so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps!

Hello, thank you for using Boop by Petco. From the photo there does not appear to be any bald spots, however, it is not a very close up view. Honestly, unless there are bald spots and/or she is scratching the area I would not be too concerned. If the problem persists though (like for a few months) then you should take her to your vet for an exam. Some reasons there could be changes in the hair coat: 1. Diet - the special diet she is eating may be causing some nutrient imbalance. You should talk to your vet about putting her on a supplement for her coat (like fish oils) as this may help. 2. Skin Allergies - even if she has never had any symptoms of allergies before, they can develop over time. If this was the case though, I would expect hair loss and/or scratching, redness of the skin, etc. If you are not seeing any of that then this is not as likely to be the problem. 3. Fleas - again, I would expect hair loss and scratching. If you are not noticing that, then this is also not v