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My indoor cat suddenly has a large bald spot. What could cause this?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 1 year and 3 months old

Hi! This morning I noticed my cat is missing a large patch of fur, I know it wasn’t there yesterday. He’s a strictly indoor cat. I’m wondering if he had just got stuck under something in my house. I thought I should get another opinion online since my work hours don’t work well with my vet.

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on August 9th, 2018

This definitely looks likes a trauma area, where the hair was ripped out. I would monitor it for now, especially if Reggie doesn't seem to be bothered by it. It should start to heal and fill in if this was an isolated incident. However, if you start to notice other bald patches pop up, then a vet visit is needed to have some skin testing done and find out the underlying cause (fleas, mites, etc).
I hope that Reggie recovers well. Best wishes and take care.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on October 26th, 2020
Thank you for the pictures, they are very helpful. This could be from an injury. It doesn't look infected, so I would just keep an eye on it for now. If it gets bigger or appears infected (redness, swelling, warm to the touch, pus), then Princess will have to see a vet for it. Keep in mind it can take several months for the fur to go back in fully. I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Crystal L. Nelson
Veterinary Technician
Published on May 5th, 2017
I would recommend keeping the area as clean and dry as possible and avoiding any topical medication. You'll want to visit your local Veterinarian and request a possible antibiotic to prevent any secondary infection and treat any existing infection.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on June 13th, 2020
You can try using this Vetericyn Hot Spray on the affected area. If after a week of using it, the lesion is not looking better your vet should check him. You will also need to get him a cone collar to stop him from licking it. As long as he licks it, it will not heal.

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-plus-hot-spot-antimicrobial-gel-for-dogs

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=elizabethan+collar+for+cats&crid=2Q0YY66ZKLO7W&sprefix=elizabethan+%2Caps%2C624&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_12
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Published on March 20th, 2017
An exam with your veterinarian would be the safe option. The spot could be due to local infection or irritation. Place an e-collar (cone) on Pepper to prevent further licking. This may be enough to allow healing, but if it is infection, your vet can dispense antibiotics.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Why does my outdoor cat have a small patch of missing fur on his head?

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 Freckles 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 him overgrooming himself in that area then it could be something like psychogenic alopecia which is more of a behavioral issue. I think that since he 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 him examined by your veterinarian. Good luck!

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My cat has a bald line on its back, no redness or itching. What is it?

That is definitely an interesting pattern of hair loss. I suspect this has to do with some sort of trauma. A scrape if he was trying to get “through” something, a chemical or thermal burn down the back, even a reaction to a topical medication such as a flea and tick application. From the picture the skin appears pretty normal, but pictures can be deceiving. If the fur does not appear to be growing back soon, or if it looks to be spreading then I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

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Why is my senior cat suddenly getting a balding patch on his back?

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