My cat is losing hair on her behind and at the base of her tail. Why?

The most common cause of hair loss at the base of the tail would be fleas or flea allergies. It can be difficult to see adult fleas on cats since they tend to groom them off, but if you take a flea comb to the base of the tail you should be able to see flea dirt if fleas are a problem. Other possibilities include seborrhea (or 'stud tail'), or allergies. If Puck seems itchy or the underlying skin seems irritated and you have ruled out fleas I would recommend seeing your veterinarian to determine what might be causing the hair loss.

The most common reason I will see hair loss at the tail base is a flea allergy. If there are any other animals in the house that go outside, I would certainly make sure that Squeaky is on a flea prevenative (even if you have never seen fleas on her). I have also seen seborrhea at that location in overweight cats that don't groom themselves well, but normally they will have more skin flaking than it looks like Squeaky does. That can cause hair loss and itching and can be treated topically. However, since you think there is a lump there, I would recommend having your vet evaluate it. They can perform a fine needle aspirate and insert a small needle into the lump to get some cells out and see what the lump is then decide on the best treatment plan for her. Good luck! I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

The most common cause of hair loss around the tail is from flea allergies so I would definitely check her thoroughly for fleas. Other possibly causes are anal gland problems, seasonal allergies, ringworm, mites, infections. She should be examined by a vet to determine the cause and appropriate treatment.

Hello. There could be a couple of things going on with Harry. Cats can lose hair around the base of their tail when they are allergic to something, when they have suffered an injury to that area, or when their anal glands are impacted. It does sound like he's uncomfortable, and any of these conditions can cause discomfort. I would monitor and if this continues take him into your vet. They can check the area and find out the cause. I hope that helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If you notice several pets affected, things like fleas, skin mites and ringworm become more suspicious. I recommend to check them/treat them for fleas. If they do not respond with 2 weeks or if they start getting worse, figure out a way to have them examined. You may look into financing through Care Credit or Scratch Pay. Lastly, you may call the local humane society to ask if they offer/know of any low cost solutions. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You may be referring to a focal infection. However, it is not possible to know this just based on a description or a picture. This would require an actual examination of the area to see what may be wrong so that therapy can be recommended. If this continues, I recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Best of luck!

This is probably caused by an allergic reaction. first of all make sure you de-flea Sadie regularly every month with a high quality spot on (ex. Advantage) as fleas are by far the most common reason for these reactions. If the fleas are not the problem, it could be an allergic reaction to food or an environmental factor. this is more complicated to treat and will sometimes require medications such as Steroids, anti histamines or cyclosporin in order to stop the allergy.