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Why is my 15-year-old cat balding with a scratch near his eye?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 15 years and 9 months old

Hi, I have a problem with my 15 year old cat. He has balding around his right eye & what looks to be a scratch underneath it in the skin part with no discharge. Wasn't sure if this is a normal aging process or something to be concerned about. I have a picture

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Dayna, DVM, CVA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on January 30th, 2018

No, it is not normal. I agree it looks concerning. Possibilities include skin mites, skin infection, environmental or food allergies, and even rare problems such as cancer. I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian soon. They may want to do skin scrapes to look for mites as well as consider medications to help improve the area. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

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