Hair loss is probably one of the most common problems in cats. And the owners are very concerned not only with the appearance of their pet, but also with the state of his health. If you find that your cat has hair loss, then first of all, you should determine the reason why this happens, and only then look for ways to solve the problem. In the article, we will find out why the cat’s hair is climbing very much and how to quickly overcome this ailment.
What is the hair of cats?
Any cat, regardless of its breed, leaves hair all over the house: on carpets, on the floor, on clothes. The hair falls out constantly in cats, and neither their breed nor the length of their hair affects it. An exception can only be such a breed of cats as the sphinx, which simply does not have wool. As well as pets with a plush skin, they leave almost no traces. A striking example is the British.
So, it is important to know that the coat of any cat consists of two layers: a thin inner undercoat and an outer rough protective layer. The cat's skin performs some functions, and the main one is thermoregulation, as well as protecting the skin from environmental influences. In the summer, the undercoat interferes with the cat, and she discards it. This makes it easier for her to tolerate high temperatures as the skin becomes lighter. With the onset of cold weather, the wool begins to renew - molting comes. The thin hairs that served the cat for the whole summer fall off, and new fluffy and warmer hair grows to replace it, which will warm the pet during severe frosts.
Next, let's talk in more detail about why the hair of a Scottish cat and other breeds is climbing and how to deal with this problem.
Molting
It is unlikely that anyone will be able to avoid seasonal molting, since this misfortune has not yet spared a single animal. Watch your cat, if it loses its coat, but at the same time it cannot be called bald and overall health remains satisfactory, then there is no need to panic, because, most likely, your pet just started to molt. Usually, only those owners whose cat has appeared recently and who have not yet encountered such a phenomenon are especially worried. In order to continue to feel calmer, just remember that in autumn and spring almost all cats molt. For cats that live in apartments, molting can last until those months. During this period, it is worth buying vitamins for the pet to improve the quality of the coat, which will grow back.
In general, molting refers to physiological factors that trigger hair loss. And also they include: local facial baldness, which is observed in the eyes and ears, and it is explained by the characteristics of the age of the animal. And also here you can safely refer the period of pregnancy of the cat and feeding the offspring. To avoid baldness of the animal during this period, it is recommended to include as many vitamins and nutrients in the animal's diet as possible so that the body can restore lost strength.
It is impossible to deal with physiological factors, because no matter what you do, the hair will still fall out, you can only try to slightly reduce the number of lost hairs.
Contact and allergic dermatitis
When a cat’s hair is climbing heavily and in large quantities, it is worth paying attention to the area of the back, neck and tail, as bald patches may appear in these places, which turn red over time, and can itch and peel strongly. All these manifestations are a clear sign that the animal has problems with the endocrine system. There are several reasons why this ailment occurs: improperly organized nutrition, a strong lack of vitamins and minerals. In the presence of one of these problems, a cat develops dermatitis quite rapidly. It is necessary to remember what foods the pet has consumed recently. Capelin, various types of sausages and milk can cause a similar reaction of the body. The danger of fatty and salty foods is proven not only for people, but also for pets. When a cat consumes any of the above products, the stomach and liver may not be able to cope and give signals about it this way.
Food allergy
Why does a cat have hair when it eats certain foods? The answer to this question is quite simple - she started an allergy. An allergy to food is manifested not only in the fact that the pet's hair begins to fall out, but also is accompanied by the following symptoms: the cat constantly licks its paws, ears become inflamed, the skin turns red, and itching appears severe. If you find such symptoms in your cat, then be sure that she has an allergy to certain foods. In addition to the listed symptoms, the body temperature can also rise or the inflammatory process begins.
Flea dermatitis
Flea dermatitis manifests itself in the following: the cat is very furry, and the bare skin that forms as a result of this is covered with scales and a crust, and the animal constantly feels itching. It is also possible that the body temperature will increase significantly. This condition occurs due to the fact that the cat's body reacts negatively to the saliva of fleas that have settled in the pet.
Lichen
The cat’s hair, which is deprived of it, climbs very strongly. It does not just fall out, but leaves bald patches of skin on the body. Even bald spots may appear, which increase in size over time. Do not try to self-medicate, if you find such symptoms and suspect that a pet may have lichen, then you should not hesitate, you should immediately contact a veterinarian. Only a specialist can choose the right treatment and save the pet from torment.
Skin mite
It does not make sense to struggle against such a problem on your own, one might even say that it is strictly prohibited. The skin mite manifests itself in this way: the hair of the pet becomes very dull, the muzzle, ears and forelegs quickly bald. If such symptoms are detected, there can be no doubt that the veterinarian needs to be urgently asked for help.
How to cure hair loss
So, now it’s worthwhile to find out if the cat has hair, what to do in this case, the owner and what actions to take in the first place. Not all of the above has to be treated, since shedding, for example, a medicine, cannot be exactly found. But as for contact and allergic dermatitis, as well as food allergies, the treatment methods are almost the same and are as follows:
- From a pet's diet, salty and fatty foods should be completely eliminated.
- To develop a special diet, which will include: low-fat fish twice a week, meat and offal, but pork is strictly prohibited, not very fatty dairy products. Milk, like fish, can be given no more than twice a week and not in combination with something, but as a separate meal.
- Those who fed the cat with ready-made food should transfer the pet to food intended specifically for animals with dermatitis.
- Together with food, the pet should receive the following vitamins: B vitamins, biotin, iodine.
- Kota will certainly be tormented by itching in order to make his life easier; he should give 0.125 Suprastin or Tavegil tablets twice a day. It is also recommended to purchase "Drontal" for cats, which is an anthelmintic drug and certainly will not be superfluous.
If all these measures have not yielded results and the hair continues to fall out, then you should immediately contact your veterinarian for help. He will take all the necessary tests and prescribe the necessary treatment based on their result. Do not drag out, because the less the animal gets sick, the easier it is to get rid of the pathology.
Flea dermatitis treatment
When a cat’s hair is climbing, there are many reasons for this. Some of them are already completely disassembled, not only the symptoms, but also the methods of struggle. Now I want to say a few words about flea dermatitis, and more specifically about how to get rid of it. Flea dermatitis is treated a little differently than previous types of this disease. So, the treatment of flea dermatitis includes the following steps:
- Using a special shampoo or other means, it is necessary to remove fleas from the cat. This is the first step to recovery.
- To reduce itching, you should purchase steroids at the pharmacy, as well as give your pet antihistamines.
Next, you should also consider the features of getting rid of lichen. It will be difficult to cure this disease on your own, and it is not recommended to do this, because it can be dangerous. Only a specialist can determine the type of fungus that affected your animal, and can find effective methods to combat this fungus. Moreover, lichen can be spread and transmitted to people. Therefore, in order to prevent this, the following activities should be carried out:
- A complete disinfection of the room where the animal lives, as well as all the furniture that is located in this room, is carried out.
- All things that belong to the cat must be burned: toys, bedding, houses and more.
- All carpets must be cleaned, and it is recommended that all clothes that are in the house be torn.
The main danger of this disease is that it spreads to people, so you need to constantly monitor the skin of children and adults living in the same house with a sick animal.
And another disease that we have not mentioned is a skin tick. It is not dangerous for people, but all measures of disinfection in the house should still be carried out. Do not self-medicate, since only toxic drugs that the doctor works on his own help get rid of ticks.
Prevention methods
It is not enough just to feed your cat or cat and wait for it to be healthy and cheerful. There are many problems and illnesses that may come his way. Veterinarians give the following tips on how to prevent hair loss in a domestic cat:
- From the diet of the animal you need to exclude all junk food, namely: fried, spicy and salty.
- Only those products that contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals should be included in the pet's menu.
- If you prefer to feed the cat with feed from the store, then choose the highest quality products that have been tested and confirmed their safety. They should have a minimum of artificial additives and a maximum of vitamins.
- Cats should not be overfed, especially if they are no longer young.
- Do not neglect vaccination. Each cat should receive all the necessary vaccinations that the veterinarian recommends. This will significantly reduce the risk of many diseases.
Some owners, whose pets do not go outside and do not communicate with other animals, believe that the listed precautions are not for them. But do not forget that people constantly go outside and can bring the disease on their outer clothing or shoes, without even knowing about it.
Conclusion
Here are listed the main causes that can cause hair loss in cats. If you monitor your pet and follow all the recommendations of veterinarians, then serious problems can be avoided. But physiological factors cannot be eliminated anyway. And also we found out if the cat has a lot of hair, what to do in this case and how the owner can help his pet.