My Cat Has Hair Loss at End of Back and Beginning of Tail

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My Cat Has Hair Loss at End of Back and Beginning of Tail

by Pat Fretschel
(Reedsburg, WI USA)

I have a 3 yr. old Maine Coon female cat. I have noticed that she has lost the hair at the middle of her back down onto the beginning of her tail. She has been eating dry Meow Mix with hairball control since I got her at 6 months old.

She is strictly an indoor cat but every once in awhile my daughter will bring her dog over. Could it be fleas? Also could it be stress? Could it be her food? She does constantly groom herself. She does not seem to be in any distress and there is very fine baby hair where she has lost the hair. Her skin is not flaky so, I don't think it is dry skin. Could you possibly help me?

Thank you - Pat

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My Cat Has Hair Loss at End of Back and Beginning of Tail

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Oct 26, 2009
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Itchy Bigfoot
by: Dorothy

My new big boy, Bigfoot came to me with 'issues'. I think he is Maine Coon mix. One recently started and annoying problem is constant scratching, causing scabs similar to what you are talking about. His tail too seems thin at the top of the tail. It could be his coloring, but I'm watching him closely. He's now an inside cat, and could be feeling some stress as he hasn't really accepted Daisy the 85 lb. mix dog as part of his family. Just me. So he is somewhat limited as to how far he can travel in the house. He seems to know when Daisy is on a walk, as he comes out and explores. He actually appears to be very happy.

After thinking about it for a while, I realized that the scratching started about a week after I changed his dry food at the vet's recommendation. I looked carefully at the label and saw the second highest quantity ingredient is Corn Gluten Meal. I read up all I could about cat allergies, including this wonderful website, and decided to find something that didn't have wheat or corn in it. I found one, and he's been on it now for one week, and I swear his skin is getting better. I'll wait another week or two to form an opinion about it, as I'm so hoping it will work. I hope I've cured him. I'll post the results here.

Good luck with finding your cure.

Dorothy

Oct 26, 2009
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hair loss
by: Ruth aka Kattaddorra

Good advice from Micheal. There is another complaint which causes hair loss there, it can happen that the cat's anal glands get blocked,these are little scent glands just inside the cats bottom.If this happens, the glands irritate and because cats can't reach them, they lick and nibble at the lower back, top of the tail, causing hair loss and sometimes soreness. If it is this the vet simply empties the glands and gives the cat an antibiotic to clear any infection.That usually puts it right.

Oct 26, 2009
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Post Script
by: Michael (PoC Admin)

A bit more:

As I said most other hair loss causes result in skin symptoms which is not the case here it seems. I favour over grooming due to stress. This may be exacerbated being a full-time indoor cat. I am not advocating letting your cat out but some form of supervised or protected outdoor activity might assist (on a leash or an enclosure).

One last possibility is allergic dermatitis. The most common cause is the flea bite.

Oct 26, 2009
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Hi Pat - Hair Loss
by: Michael (PoC Admin)

I'll start ball rolling. I'll base my comments on my own experience and knowledge plus the reference material on this page:

Medical References and Methods

My initial thought without reference to anything is fleas. Why? Because fleas cause irritation and that leads to grooming. Over-grooming is the most common cause of hair loss and importantly the areas you mention, particularly the base of the tail are were fleas like to reside (and around the neck).

Fleas can be checked easily by combing with a flea comb. The fleas get scooped up with the flea feces and flea eggs. If it is fleas I would use combs and drops (Frontline) to control them but not sprays etc.

Secondly here are some pages of cat hair loss:

Cat Hair Loss

Feline Allergies (new window)

Feline Alopecia

As your cat grooms a lot it may be due to itchy skin but the skin is not flaky - looks normal). Itchy skin in this instance can be caused by fleas as mentioned. The other causes don't seem to fit these symptoms (book 1 of Medical References and Methods

Book 1 says that food allergies results is severe itching over the head, neck and back. It can be accompanied by hair loss and there may be sores from scratching. You don't mention itching on the head etc. A change of food would probably be a check on this.

Other hair loss caused also show other symptoms to hair loss and you say there are none that are apparent.

Another possibility is Psychogenic Alopecia. This is the thinning of hair in a band down the back caused by compulsive self grooming, a behavior disorder. This is one that to me seems the more likely cause.

Restrictions on a cat's natural drives such as hunting etc. can cause stresses causing energy displacement activities such as self grooming. If a cat is highly strung it is more likely to show. Nearly all cases are with Abyssinians, Siamese, Burmese & Himalayans but it could happen to a Maine Coon. A major sign of compulsive self grooming is a thinning of hair in a stripe down the back.

The cure is to modify the cat's routine including introducing a more active lifestyle and reducing stress factors if they are apparent.

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Oct 26, 2009
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Submitted by: Michael (PoC Admin)

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Comment
I'll start ball rolling. I'll base my comments on my own experience and knowledge plus the reference material on this page: <a href="http://www.pictures-of-cats.org/PoC-Medical-References-and-Methods.html">Medical References and Methods</a> My initial thought without reference to anything is fleas. Why? Because fleas cause irritation and that leads to grooming. Over-grooming is the most common cause of hair loss and importantly the areas you mention, particularly the base of the tail are were fleas like to reside (and around the neck). Fleas can be checked easily by combing with a flea comb. The fleas get scooped up with the flea feces and flea eggs. If it is fleas I would use combs and drops (Frontline) to control them but not sprays etc. Secondly here are some pages of cat hair loss: <a href="http://www.pictures-of-cats.org/Hair-loss-in-cats.html">Cat Hair Loss</a> <a target="_blank" href="http://cat-chitchat.pictures-of-cats.org/2008/09/feline-allergies.html">Feline Allergies</a> (new window) <a target="_blank" href="http://cat-chitchat.pictures-of-cats.org/2008/08/feline-endocrine-alopecia.html">Feline Alopecia</a> As your cat grooms a lot it may be due to itchy skin but the skin is not flaky - looks normal). Itchy skin in this instance can be caused by fleas as mentioned. The other causes don't seem to fit these symptoms (book 1 of <a href="http://www.pictures-of-cats.org/PoC-Medical-References-and-Methods.html">Medical References and Methods</a> Book 1 says that food allergies results is severe itching over the head, neck and back. It can be accompanied by hair loss and there may be sores from scratching. You don't mention itching on the head etc. A change of food would probably be a check on this. Other hair loss caused also show other symptoms to hair loss and you say there are none that are apparent. Another possibility is Psychogenic Alopecia. This is the thinning of hair in a band down the back caused by compulsive self grooming, a behavior disorder. <strong>This is one that to me seems the more likely cause</strong>. Restrictions on a cat's natural drives such as hunting etc. can cause stresses causing energy displacement activities such as self grooming. If a cat is highly strung it is more likely to show. Nearly all cases are with Abyssinians, Siamese, Burmese & Himalayans but it could happen to a Maine Coon. <strong> A major sign of compulsive self grooming is a thinning of hair in a stripe down the back.</strong> The cure is to modify the cat's routine including introducing a more active lifestyle and reducing stress factors if they are apparent. <img src="http://www.pictures-of-cats.org/images/sign.png">

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My Cat Has Hair Loss at End of Back and Beginning of Tail

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My Cat Has Hair Loss at End of Back and Beginning of Tail