Why is my cat losing hair on her legs after starting Hill's K/d?

Hello. Thank you for your question about Marcus. It sounds like he is suffering from allergies. This is likely unrelated to his kidney disease. Cats can have allergies to food or to something in the environment. Typically what we see is loss of hair, itching, scabs. Feline allergies can be managed with injections or a medicine called cyclosporine. There is also the possibility that he could have a parasitic skin infection but this would be more unlikely. I would recommend taking Marcus to Your veterinarian and having them check for these things. I would also have them run a bloodwork panel and make sure everything else is looking normal and that an underlying organ malfunction is not what is causing the hair loss. Best to you and Marcus.

Hello. Decreased hair quality in cats, especially of her age, could be due to hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, diabetes, liver disease, parasites, and overall poor health and grooming habits due to arthritis or obesity. I would suggest getting her checked by a vet, and having bloodwork done to test for these conditions as some have easy fixes. Good luck with her!

If he seems to be losing weight, I would make sure her thyroid level was tested. If so, the skin could be due to an allergy or other skin condition. Thyroid level being high can cause skin and hair changes so I would first get this level checked out. As for the skin, you can use Douxo PS calm shampoo and mousse, both of which can be found online quite easily. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Calli could certainly be allergic to some component of her food, causing her licking and hair loss. Cats most commonly develop allergies to the protein source of the food, but other allergies to fleas or environmental factors, or infectious issues like ringworm or mange can all cause similar signs. With excessive licking and scratching, skin infections can develop, which only serve to worsen itching and scratching. At this point, your best bet is to take Calli to the vet to rule out signs of a skin infection, ringworm or mange, as these would require a different course of action. If these issues have been excluded, you next need to assure that Calli is receiving a high quality flea preventative (such as Advantage, Revolution or Bravecto) regularly. If you want to try a diet trial to determine if food allergies are occurring, you can choose either a prescription based hydrolyzed hypoallergenic diet or a novel protein diet (such as Dick van Patten's Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diet, choosing a new protein source like venison or rabbit). To change Calli's diet, mix the old and new foods together over 5-7 days. After that time, exclusively feed the new food without adding other treats or table foods. It can take at least 6-8 weeks to see the full effect of a diet trial. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

[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.

I am sorry to hear that Kitty is expecriening these issues. If these hanged in behaviour are new and happened with the changes in coat quality, It may be a good idea to have Kitty checked out by your vet for a condition called hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is common in cats. It can affect behaviour, coat quality, can cause increase in urination, drinking and appetite. Your vet will be able to rule out this disease with a simple blood test and it can be treated in a number of ways including tablets, radioiodine therapy, special prescription diet or surgery. I hope that is a helpful answer and that Kitty starts to feel herself again soon.

If there is no medical reason such as fleas or food allergy and it is behavioral there is medication to help. She may notice another animal or cat outside that is new that is stressing her out and causing her to do this more, There may be a new neighbor with a dog that she smells passing by the door increasing her anxiety. You can start with feliway diffusers and sprays to help in side the apartment. You can also talk to your vet about anxiety medication to start her on to decrease this behavior.