Cat hair loss on legs and back: Is it over-grooming or something else?

This is usually from overgrooming due to stress. In the photo the skin looks normal and you are correct there isn’t any evidence of fleas. Often this starts with a change in the household from a new pet, new person or moving. You can try using a pheromone diffuser like Feliway to help her relax and there are calming supplements like Solliquin that can reduce her anxiety as well. Make sure she has a quiet, private place so she can escape any commotion in your house. As far as treatment goes giving an anti inflammation injection or pills will let the fur grow back but unless the reason is addressed this may recur. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Lola.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. The cause of the hair loss could be allergies or skin mites as well. I would make sure the veterinarian scrapes the skin to check for parasites of the skin. This may also need an oral antibiotic in addition to topical therapy to see if it will respond. You can also try a different shampoo such as Douxo PS Chlorhexidine combination shampoo and bathe twice weekly. If there is no improvement and your vet is unable to resolve this, I would recommend a second opinion with a veterinary dermatologist if possible. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

[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.

It sure sounds like Micole is itchy! Problems such as skin infections, ringworm, mites, And allergies can all cause these symptoms. I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian soon. Medication may be needed to improve his comfort. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

There are a number of reasons that a cat will overgroom themselves, but one of the most common reasons that we will see a cat overgroom the inside or back of the thighs is a flea allergy. If a cat has a flea allergy, it only takes 1 flea bite a week to keep them itchy and cats are such good groomers that you will often never see fleas. So, it is always recommended to have all animals in the house on a monthly flea preventative if any animal in the house has allergies or skin problems. I have attached a handout below on allergies and itching in cats. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2607 If Voltaire is already on a regular flea preventative, the next step would be to have your veterinarian examine him and determine if he has any evidence of secondary bacterial, fungal or parasitic infections. If not, then you can discuss using anti-itching medications such as anti-histamines or steroids short term to resolve the itching and licking. And if those techniques are unsuccessful, then the final step might be a diet change. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Overgrooming can be caused by a few medical problems, such as fleas, food allergies, mites, or internal medical disease. I would take Milly to a vet to rule out these issues. If the vet can't find anything physically wrong, then it could be behavioral. You can try supplements for stress like Zylkene or Comfort Zone/Feliway. Here is some more information on overgrooming in cats that includes things to discuss with your vet: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2565

Poor Boda! Overgrooming is usually a symptom of allergic skin disease or emotional stress. He may respond quite well to a veterinary prescription allergy diet like Hills z/d and stop overgrooming completely. Some cats need to be on allergy medication like steroids to help with the symptoms. If stress or emotional issues are the culprit, then Boda might need to be on antidepressants or anti anxiety medication designed for cats like Zylkene or Feliway spray. If you want to try something before taking him to the vet, buy some Feliway cat pheromone spray and allergy diet like z/d and try that for 8-10 weeks, as both may work and save you a trip to the vet! Good luck!