My cat is losing fur on her shoulder. Should I take her to the vet?

Question

My cat is losing fur on the front of her shoulder blades near her chest. It started about 3 weeks ago on one side but you can see the fur growing back, nor does she seem to be in any pain so it didn't bother me. But, today I noticed a bald patch on the other side and am wondering if it's something I should get checked. Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Female | spayed | 2 years and 5 months old

Ricardo Fernandez, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! 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 Aurora 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 her overgrooming herself in that area then it could be something like psychogenic alopecia which is more of a behavioral issue. I think that since she 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 her examined by your veterinarian. Good luck!

My cat is losing fur on her shoulder. Should I take her to the vet?

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