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My cat is losing fur on ears and nose with scabs, why is this happening?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My cat is losing fur on of his both ears,and his nose. The nose is full of tiny scabs and his ears are just losing there fur it used to be all flakey. He was a stray and loves the outdoors but spends most indoors he eats dry food.What is producing him to lose all this fur?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Dayna, DVM, CVA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on November 26th, 2017

I would be really suspicious of ringworm. Although there could be other causes as well such as stick tight fleas, frost bite, infections, etc. I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian soon. In the meantime please practice good hygiene after handling him as ringworm is contagious to people as well. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on November 6th, 2017
This is not a typical sign of ringworm. The lesions don't fit the typical appearance of ringworm and ringworm tends not to be very itchy.

I am more suspicious of something else causing the itch. Fleas can often cause them to itch like this, so it's good to check him for fleas. Allergies can also cause similar signs. Since the lesions are close to the ears, I would also want to inspect the ears for ear mites.

I hope this helps you to identify the problem. If not, then it would be worth taking him to the vet. We can usually discover the cause quickly and provide the most effective treatment.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on December 5th, 2019
I'm assuming you are referring to ringworm? Unfortunately, many skin diseases can look the same but this does not really look like ringworm to me. Testing is often needed to get a diagnosis. If you want to try an anti-fungal cream for a week or two to see if it gets better you can. Just ask your pharmacy for a human anti-fungal product and apply it twice a day. If it does not help you will need to find a vet to take her to for an examination.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Why is my cat suddenly losing hair on her ears, tail, and face?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Pazoo could have been in a fight with another cat and the scabs are from a wound. Other causes are scratching from allergies or fleas. Also ring worm can look like that as well. I recommend taking her to the Vet to have her examined. Ring worm is diagnosed by a fungal culture. I hope this helps and I wish Pazoo a speedy recovery!

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Why is my 10-month-old cat losing fur around her nose and upper lip?

This could be due to a fungal infection. Yeast infections are common near the mouth, because of how much moisture there is. These infections can be controlled by keeping the area clean and dry. The other possibility is that this is ringworm. Ringworm is a fungal infection that causes hair loss and is often found on the face and the feet. Check her for any other bald patches. If you see any more of these lesions, then it's likely ringworm and will need to be treated by a vet. It's best to take Mina in to have this diagnosed by a veterinarian, because ringworm can spread to different parts of the body and can spread to people. Also, the more involved the infection, the longer it will take to clear. For now, I recommend washing your hands anytime you touch Hoss. You can keep the area clean by gently wiping with Pet Wipes (a medicated wipe that you can get at the pet store) 2-3 times a day. I hope that helps and this clears-up soon.

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Training & Behavior

Why is my hairless cat's nose flaking white stuff and losing fur?

A picture of the skin would help a lot here to help classify what this likely is. With your description however, it sounds likely that this may be either a bacterial or fungal infection. Bacterial infections are often caused by a wound on the skin that didn't heal properly. I would have your vet take a look at the area or repost with an actual picture so that we can give you more advice on treatment. However, this likely will require oral medication due to its location and the tendency for cats to lick in this area. I hope that your furry friends skin heals well soon! Best wishes and take care.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My cat has dry flaky skin and hair loss behind their ear. What is it?

From the appearance in the picture, it looks as though Jet is missing a bit of hair from his ear in addition to the scaling skin. There are several possible causes for this scaling, including allergies, ringworm, and mange. As a starting point, make sure that Jet is receiving a good quality flea preventive. Advantage is a good OTC option, but your vet will have other prescription flea preventives, like Bravecto or Revolution. I also think it's worth having him examined by your vet, particularly because ringworm and one form of mange (scabies) can be transmitted to people and other pets. It's important to rule out those contagious issues! During a physical exam, your vet may recommend taking samples to examine under the microscope, as well as samples for a fungal culture to rule out ringworm. Then, based on their findings, they'll be able to determine the best course of treatment for Jet. I hope that everything goes well!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My cat has a nose bump and is losing fur. When should she see a vet?

I recommend to go to the veterinarian. Losing fur is not normal and may indicate something like ringworm (which humans can get), allergies, infection or skin mites. I'm not sure what the bump may signify but your vet will get a better idea from an exam. I hope this helps.

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Health & Wellness

My cat has nose scabs, ear crusts, and hair loss. Should I see a vet?

I would recommend having Sharon examined by your vet and have your vet do some simple skin tests to determine what might be going on with Sharon. We do sometimes see some different types of mites (I have attached a link to a handout below with more information on one type of mite) that can cause skin problems in cats as well as bacterial or fungal infections. so your vet will need to determine the cause of the crusting in order to determine the best treatment option. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=512 Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My cat has scabs spreading on her ears and face. What's wrong?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Blossom! Her skin on her ears looks bad. I think she should see a Vet to diagnose the cause and start treatment. Possible causes are food allergies, ringworm, mites. You can play with her diet and see if changing the protein helps for long term management. If an animal has a food allergy chicken tends to be the most common allegen. But that won’t help her feel better in the short term. Ringworm is diagnosed on fungal culture and mites on a skin scrape. An infection is treated with antibiotics and steroids. I hope this helps and I wish Blossom a speedy recovery!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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