My cat is losing hair in one spot on his back. Why is this happening?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
My five year old cat Levon started losing hair in just one spot about 6 months ago. I thought maybe he had some kind of fur or skin condition and I started feeding him Salmon Oil supplements. Most of the fur ended up growing back for a while, but then he started losing it again, and now it is worse than before. He is almost completely bald in one spot on his back. I was wondering what could be causing this. I'd like to add that he is a strictly indoor cat and hasn't been exposed to anything.
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on February 2nd, 2019
Hello, sorry to hear about Levon. This non-specific hair loss could be associated with different conditions. Most commonly, contact allergies from environmental allergies (dust mites, skin dander, detergents, grasses, heat) may cause this. Other causes could include anxiety and excessive grooming. External parasites or skin infections that could also cause constant itching, and finally, any metabolic endocrine diseases (diabetes and hyperthyroidism) may cause this. Less likely a hair disorder like becoming bald but he should not have had hair re-growth after his first incident. Oral supplements like essential fatty oils will help keep his hair shiny but may not promote his hair growth. If his hair loss progresses or continues, then he should be seen by his veterinarian to further discern between the different causes of hair loss. Hope this helps and best of luck.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
-
Published on March 2nd, 2017
This could be a sign of an underlying skin disease or possibly even an endocrine disease. You can try bathing Chester with a medicated antimicrobial shampoo for cats but if this does not work, a trip to the veterinarian may be warranted. Your veterinarian will be able to run blood work and test Chester's skin to determine what is causing the hair loss. Good luck! I hope that Chester is feeling better soon.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
Hi, my outdoor cat came home tonight and I noticed a bold spot of around 3cm in diameter on his back. The skin seems to be fine, not infected, red, dry, itchy or scaly. He is not bothered about it, doesn't lick, he is behaving as normal, no lethargy
That spot Bazi could be several things including fleas, allergies, skin mites, bacterial infection, ringworm (which humans can get) or a fight (fur ripped out). There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for pets, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesion once a day with a hypoallergenic wipe. Also protect the area from trauma. If the lesion does not start improving within a week or if it is getting worse, have him examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Matcha has these bald spots on his coat but he is negative for ticks, fleas, and mange when we took him to the vet. We were told to not let him out first and be more strict with his diet for 2 weeks. Seems like nothing has changed. He will be tested
Hair loss can be caused by bacterial, parasitic or fungal infection, dietary or environmental allergies or sensitivities, immune system disorders, or a combination of the above. One common cause can be infection by mites that can live in the hair follicles and lead to hair loss, and secondary bacterial and fungal infections that can develop. I recommend having him see your vet again, as the vet may want to look at a sample from the area (taken by a procedure known as a skin scraping) and examined under the microscope to determine what kind(s) of infection may be present and to figure out what medication is appropriate for treatment. Good luck!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My cat is developing bald spots on his inner front legs and on his right hip he has a huge spot where the hair is noticeably shorter than the rest.
[Allergies](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/feline-allergies/) are the most common cause of hair loss and [excessive grooming in cats](https://www.petcoach.co/article/excessive-grooming-in-cats-what-it-means-and-how-to-help), but there are several other medical causes as well - including [fleas](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas/), bacterial or fungal infections, or skin mites. I would definitely start your cat on a good monthly spot-on product such as [Advantage II](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/cat/cat-flea-and-tick/cat-flea-and-tick-drops/advantage-ii-once-a-month-cat-and-kitten-topical-flea-treatment-over-9-lbs) to make sure fleas are not the problem - you can get this over the counter at many pet stores. If this doesn't resolve the problem, you will need to have your cat examined by a vet - he/she can do some testing if needed to diagnose the problem and get your kitty the appropriate prescription medications to treat it. Behaviora
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Training & Behavior
My cat have been getting bald spots in his body and I don't know the cause of it. It has happened a few times but recently it seems to get worth and I tried to trim his nails to prevent him from scratching his fur off but it seems to become worse. I
Areas of hair loss with intact skin below that is not scaly, inflamed or itchy may be due to psychogenic alopecia or overgrooming/overlicking due to stress. Calming supplements such as VetriScience Composure liquid and Feliway pheromone plug ins may help with anxiety. Both are available online. Placing an elizabethan collar on Hero for 2 weeks and seeing if the hair starts to regrow is an option but may stress him out more. If the lesions appear to spread/worsen with an e-collar, having hairs plucked for a fungal culture to be run at your local veterinarian’s to rule out ringworm (which is transmissible to people) and applying a monthly topical called Revolution to rule out itchiness from fleas/mites is recommended. Best of luck!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My cat is loosing hair on his back end near his tail. We think he may be pulling it out. We use coconut oil to help it grow back. He has had this before and hair and grown back but we are unsure what it is
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Aller
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My cat is an indoor cat and doesn’t like to go outside a lot. I just came back from vacation and he had a big bald spot on his neck and it looks like the hair just fell off. He also is starting to get it on the other side of his neck. Why is this?
Hi there! Thanks for using Boop by Petco! There is a variety of reasons that can explain alopecia or hair loss. The causes can easily be differentiated by the clinical signs associated with it and the physical exam findings. If Eli is only showing some hair loss without scratching or overgrooming then it could conditions such as alopecia areata that can affect cats and usually resolves on its own. If there is evidence of scratching and you start noticing some redness or irritation associated with it, then other conditions such as allergies are possible. If you notice him overgrooming himself in that area then it could be something like psychogenic alopecia which is more of a behavioral issue. I think that since he is not having overt clinical signs and it is mostly hair loss, I think it is possibly transient and could resolve on its own. You can monitor this closely and if it does not resolve or it worsens then have him examined by your veterinarian. Good luck!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My cat has been loosing fur from the bottom of his back and in front of his ears on his head. We moved house in November and I put the fur loss down to stress from the move. I bought a feliway diffuser and his fur began to get better, however it has
This is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be fleas, infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment (advocate or advantage), then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollins, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). 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.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My 9 -year-old domestic short hair male Cat has a bald sport around 3 inches long on his back . The skin lesion is wet and in pink . I haven't noticed this until yesterday . What's wrong with him? Thanks
Your cat has groomed this spot until is raw. The area is classic for flea allergies to appear. Skin problems can have a variety of causes, sometimes more than one. Allergies, parasites, bacterial or fungal infections, even contact with some surfaces or substances will cause itching, rash and/or hair loss. It is important to have the problem checked by your vet to determine if there is a medical cause for your pet’s skin issues and treat accordingly. In pets of all ages, fleas, food allergies and exposure to chemical irritants such as cleaners and soaps can be a cause. Any one of these may not be enough to trigger the breakouts, depending on how sensitive your pet is, but a combination can be enough to start the itch-scratch cycle. Finding out the cause and eliminating it is the best course of action. With flea allergies, if your pet is sensitive enough, a single bite can cause them to break out scratch enough to tear their skin. Check for fleas with a flea comb. Look for fleas and/o
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My cat is just under a year and has stuffers hair loss. It's has started to get bald patches on all of his legs. He is a black cat and if you look closely he has short grey hair in those patches, very thin. He is acting completely normal but very con
There are common causes of it which are flea allergy dermatitis, psychological (stress related) overgrooming and infections (especially fungal and bacterial infections). The approach to the problem must be quite logic. This is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be fleas, infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment (advocate or advantage), then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollins, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions if present (steroids and antibiotics). Please do not
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS FROM THIS QUESTION... Hello! My cat has been losing hair lately and it is not growing back. The skin underneath almost looks like a dark blue/black color. I am wondering if this is something I should be concerned about or if it
Hi, and thanks for your question. This could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). 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
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Have A Vet Question?
Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.
