Why is my cat's fur coming off in a spot with dry skin, no itching?

There are several things that could cause this. If it is in the location of a joint like an elbow then this could be a callous from laying on hard surfaces and nothing to worry about. Otherwise, this could be a fungal infection (ringworm), a bacterial infection, or simply allergies or dry skin. I would have your vet take a look at it so they can recommend the best oral meds if needed to help her improve. You could also try to bathe her with an oatmeal based shampoo to see if it improves. I hope this helps

Hello. That looks like a moist and sticky bacterial infection, but a proper diagnosis would come from a hands on examination with your veterinarian. It would be best to have him looked at ASAP, but in the meantime....the main goal is to clean the area and try to keep it dry. You can use some dish soap and water to gently clean the area, then wipe excess soap away and dry it . Do not rub or scrub the tissue very hard as it is probably uncomfortable. Your veterinarian will need to prescribe the appropriate antibiotic to eliminate the infection. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

This could be a skin infection caused by a fungus (ringworm), or bacteria or an old injury. Since ringworm is contagious to people and other pets in the house, I suggest you have this examined by your veterinarian to rule out a fungal infection. In the meantime do wash your hands after handling your kitty. Your vet will want to take a brush sample from the spot and culture it and until the culture has grown, will probably give you some medication to treat it.

I have seen this as a reaction to certain spot-on flea/tick treatments, vaccines and microchipping. If any of these were recently done, then I would be most suspicious of them being the cause. The skin appears a red, which indicates that something is irritating it and it appears oily, but I'm assuming that's from the antibiotic ointment. For now, it's best to just keep the area clean with a medicated cat shampoo. You can get this at the pet store. I would clean it once daily and not put the antibiotic cream on it. Use cool water when washing and rinsing to give some relief. You can stop the daily cleanings when the skin appears healthy again and the hair is obviously growing back. If the hair loss continues and the skin appears worse, then it's best to have a vet look at it, because it may need special treatment. I hope that helps and Phoebe gets better soon.

[Allergies](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/feline-allergies/) are the most common cause of hair loss and [excessive grooming in cats](https://www.petcoach.co/article/excessive-grooming-in-cats-what-it-means-and-how-to-help), but there are several other medical causes as well - including [fleas](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas/), bacterial or fungal infections, or skin mites. I would definitely start your cat on a good monthly spot-on product such as [Advantage II](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/cat/cat-flea-and-tick/cat-flea-and-tick-drops/advantage-ii-once-a-month-cat-and-kitten-topical-flea-treatment-over-9-lbs) to make sure fleas are not the problem - you can get this over the counter at many pet stores. If this doesn't resolve the problem, you will need to have your cat examined by a vet - he/she can do some testing if needed to diagnose the problem and get your kitty the appropriate prescription medications to treat it. Behavioral causes, such as stress or anxiety, can also lead to overgrooming. [Calming supplements](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/cat/cat-training/cat-training-calming-aids/calming-cat-supplements) or [pheromone products](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/brand/feliway) can be found at the lcocal Petco. If these do not improve the condition, your veterinarian may recommend prescription strength remedies.

Hi Sara! Thank you for using PetCoach! Skipper is very handsome! :) You know, this hairloss spot could be from many different things. Some possibilities (just to name a few): 1. ringworm 2. mange 3. bacterial infection 4. localized vaccination reaction (some vets vaccinate low down on the legs so check to see if your vet did this) 5. injury Since he doesn't seem to be bothered by it at this stage I would suggest you try some antifungal medication on it for a couple weeks to see if there is any resolution. If not, then I would take him to your vet for an exam. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Equate-Athletes-Foot-Antifungal-Cream-0-5-Oz/21950095 In case it is ringworm, be sure to wash your hands after touching that area! Hope this helps. Best wishes!

Hi, and thanks for your question. This could be due to an infection, likely to be cause by mites or a fungus. First of all I would recommend to ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. Once diagnosis has been established appropriate treatment may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but 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. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!