Why is my male cat pulling out his fur? Is it stress or an illness?

Question

What does it mean when a male cat pulls out a good amount of fur off of himself? Does it have something to do with stress caused by a male human? Or something else?

Elva Ma DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, and thank you for your question. Fur pulling can be a behavioural response to stress, or it could be due to a medical problem such as itching from bacterial infection, ringworm, mites or fleas, or allergies. Contact with a male human is unlikely to be the cause. More common causes of stress would include any new human (male or female), new pets, change in environment, stressful noises, or stress due to pain. I would start by eliminating any potential stressors, if present. You can also try using a feline pheromone spray called Feliway, which can help to reduce stress in cats. If this does not help, I would recommend getting him seen by the vet. They can perform some skin tests such as a skin scraping, cytology, or fungal culture, to rule out a medical problem, and prescribe appropriate medical treatments if so. I hope this helps, and that your kitty feels better soon!

Why is my male cat pulling out his fur? Is it stress or an illness?

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