My cat's coat isn't as thick as his brother's. Is it healthy?

HI and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to see that Zeus is having a problem. The light haired area between the eye and ear is completely normal and is more noticeable on certain cats. The nose is a different story. It appears that there might be some type of infection or dermatitis there caused by many things including irritation, trauma, bacteria, viruses, nutritional, UV exposure, etc. You should have a veterinarian evaluate this so that treatment can be started after a good history and physical exam. Good luck with Zeus.

Poor Zeus! If the cream you are using isn't helping this time, he really needs to be seen by a vet to find out what is causing the hair loss. Some possible causes would include allergies (food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment), fleas, or a bacterial or fungal skin infection. Treatment will depend on what the underlying cause is, so it's important to get a diagnosis in order to know what medication to give. Your vet can do a simple test called a skin scrape if needed to help determine the problem and get him started on appropriate treatment.

Kittens will go through growing phases where their coat will look more dull or more shiny until they reach adult age. I would not be overly concerned based on those photos you posted - I think he looks normal. Once he is closer to adulthood you can have a better idea of how the coat is really doing and you can make a judgment from there if you need to change foods or add in a coat supplement to the diet.

Hello, congrats on the new kitty! It is normal to have a small area of thin hair in front of the ears, such as what you're seeing in Brownie, so that is not a concern as long as Brownie isn't acting abnormal by scratching excessively at the ears or showing other signs of discomfort. His hair otherwise looks nice and thick in the photos so I suspect he has normal shedding, which you can help control with regular brushing. However, if there are patches of distinct hair loss, or if he seems itchy, then you should have a vet take a look to make sure he doesn't have a skin condition requiring medication. Hope this helps.

Coat length is determined by genetics so you can't change that. At home you can try giving him an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for pets and changing the food. There are two brands of food, Royal Canin and Nutro, which are aimed at skin and coat health. Supplements and diet may help to promote a healthy coat. Additionally, conditions such as skin infections, parasites, allergies and endocrine disease will all cause poor hair coats so it's important to make sure Bollubhai is healthy. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Poor Zippers! He could have gotten into a fight on his travels, causing the fur loss from that area. Bites from another cat can cause small and hard to see wounds, and are often unnoticed until an abscess form. I would take Zippers into the vet for a health check just to make sure he is ok.

Considering that WHW terriers are seriously predisposed to skin issues (usually atopic dermatitis), I would think Lea's problem is due to a disease rather being genetic. Pictures of her coat, showing eventually any type of skin lesions, may help understanding that. It is hard at this stage to be more specific about it without pictures or more clinical informations. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.