Why is my cat getting bald patches?
In the hectic pace of our modern lives, we demand a lot from our pets. Fortunately, most cats are easy to adapt to all the changes and excitement around them. They fit into our crazy schedules and enrich our lives. Unfortunately, there are cats for whom the stress of modern life is just too much. It is often difficult for cats to show that they are experiencing stress. One symptom of stress can be excessive coat care in the form of excessive licking, sometimes even resulting in baldness. This is known as over-grooming or Feline Psychogenic Alopecia.
Why does stress lead to excessive licking in cats?
Grooming is a pleasurable activity for a cat. Washing releases endorphins that give a feeling of happiness. It is therefore quite natural for a cat to groom itself when it is feeling anxious or unhappy. A stressed cat will groom more to feel better.
How do I know if my cat licks itself too much?
A cat’s licking behaviour is often not noticed by its owner. Cats often do this when they are alone. Excessive licking is often done in the same place. This could be on the back, the belly, the flanks or the inside of the thighs. Licking causes the hair to break and the coat in the licked areas is often short and spiky. Occasionally, hairs are pulled out completely, resulting in bald patches. Usually, the bald skin looks normal, without spots or redness. In pedigree cats with a so-called colourpoint pattern (where the hair is darker on the tips of the ears and feet), such as Siamese, the hair in the area may be darker than on the rest of the body.
There are some temperamental cats where Psychogenic Alopecia is more common, such as:
- Siamese
- Burmese
- Himalayan
- Abyssinian
What are other causes of baldness and excessive grooming in a cat?
There are other and more common reasons why your cat may be licking itself excessively. Itching, for example, is a major cause. Itching can have different causes, such as (food) allergy, fleas, fungus, mites and hormonal disturbances. Pain in a specific area can also cause your cat to wash more than usual.
How do I know if stress is the cause?
You will only know that stress is the cause when other causes for hair loss and itching have been excluded. Your vet can often easily diagnose parasites and fungi. Pain, too, can often be found with a physical examination. Excluding allergies may take a little more time. If no other cause for baldness can be found, it becomes likely that stress is the cause of your cat’s excessive grooming.
Why is my cat stressed?
Every cat has a different personality, just as all people are different. What is pleasant for one cat will be annoying for another. It is often important to look at possible stress factors for your cat together with your vet.
Common causes of stress in cats include:
- A tense relationship with neighbouring cats, especially if these cats also come into the garden or even into your house.
- Changes in the family composition, think of a new partner, the birth of a baby, or new pets.
- A move or different arrangement/new furniture.
- A change in the daily routine, for example, if you start working at home more, or are away from home. We also see the latter a lot during the corona crisis
- It is not always easy to find out what causes the stress. The smallest changes can go unnoticed by humans. Cats can react very sensitively to this. It is often worth thinking about.
How can I help my cat?
As not every cat experiences stress for the same reason, it is important to treat each cat individually. So try to find out what causes stress and try to solve it. For example, get a cat flap with chip recognition, such as the Petsafe Staywell Microchip Cat Flap , if you are bothered by neighbourhood cats in your home. However, it can sometimes take months or even years to solve the problem. In extreme cases, it may be useful to contact a cat behaviourist.
If the situation cannot be solved immediately, supportive medication can be chosen. There are various anti-anxiety supplements for cats that can provide support in different stressful situations. Brands like Feliway have products that help combat stress. Talk to your vet about what you can do best or send an email to customer-service@vetsend.co.uk
