My cat suddenly lost hair and has a red, scabby spot. What is it?

It looks like Apollo has been scratching that area and maybe made a scratch with one of his nails. I would be concerned if he is continuously trying to scratch his ear that he has an ear infection. I would recommend a veterinarian if he is scratching at his ear more recently to have them check his ear out. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It actually looks like Toby has been scratching himself in that area, and since it's near the ear, that could suggest an issue with his ear such as an ear infection. I do think it's best to get his ear checked out by a vet. Give his vet a call in the morning to make him an appointment. Best of luck.

It looks like a scab might have fallen off. It is common for cats to over-itch this part of their head near the ears when they have ear mites, ear infection, or other sources of itchiness. I would recommend that you have your kitty looked at by a vet so that it can get appropriate treatment to limit further damage caused by itching.

You are correct that this warrants a veterinary visit. Exactly what you said it could be multiple things. This could be from an infection on and in the ears, ear mites, it also can be fungal. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi and thanks for your post! It is hard to say exactly what the cause of Onyx's skin condition may be without examining Onyx first, but red hairless lesions around the face and head are suspicious of a fungal infection or perhaps mites. Your veterinarian can diagnose these potential conditions with a few simple tests of Onyx's skin and hair. I would recommend Onyx visit his vet soon to have the possibilities above ruled out. Best to you and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

It is hard to say for sure, but based on your description these red scabby areas could be either a ringworm infection (itchy) or mites (not itchy). Your local veterinarian can do a simple skin scrape test + fungal culture to determine the underlying cause for sure, so that the appropriate treatment is recommended to resolve these reddish bald areas on Snappy's skin. You also have the option of sharing pictures of these suspicious areas via private consultation through Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with any expert, if you need further advice.

The photo is not very clear but I suspect Toby has a wound or a tooth root abscess. Due to the potential for an abscess, I recommend to have him examined by the veterinarian. It’s always best to play it safe. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.