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Cat losing fur on belly.

Species: Cat
Breed: DLH- female spayed
Age: 8-11 years
Over the past month my eldest cat has lost a lot of her fur on her belly and back legs. The skin is in perfect condition, no scales, dryness or rash. She is not grooming herself more than normal. She seems completely unfazed by the condition, is in no distress at all. She is fairly high strung as a rule, will care a toy around and cry like she has a dead kitten. There have been no changes in her life recently.

Any ideas what could be causing this?


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks so much for your question!

I see this kind of thing quite often, actually. I don't usually get too worried about this type of hair loss in a cat as long as there is no itchiness or lesions at all.

By far the most common reason for a cat to have hair loss in these areas is from overgrooming. We usually attribute overgrooming to "stress" but it is often hard to determine what is causing the stress.

Most of the time we don't do much in the way of treatment. However, if it is getting excessive then you can talk to your vet about prescribing a medication called amitryptiline which can help reduce anxiety levels.

There are other conditions that can cause hair loss such as a parasite called demodex, allergies and more. As always, if concerned it's best to have your vet take a look. But, likely this is nothing to be worried about.

Hope all is well!

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Customer reply:

Thank you for your advice. Chloe completely melts down when I take her to the vet, so I might wait a bit till her annual comes around in May. As I said, she doesn't seem anxious at all, except for her Medea moments. I will be content with my poodle cat for the time being.

Thank you for donating your time to support this cause. I wish the Toronto Humane Society was trustworthy enough to support.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

You're very welcome and I think it is just fine to wait till Chloe's annual visit to have her checked out.

Thank you for supporting the Ottawa Humane Society by asking your question! Spread the word about what we are doing as the more questions we get, the more money we can raise!

Dr. Marie.



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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.