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Cat losing fur on ears and head with red dots: What's happening?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | 8 lbs

Hi Good Day Can anyone tell me what happened to my cat. He has lost fur around the ears and the back of his head, and has smal red dots on there. He is domestic cat, age +/- 1 years old, can not sure, he was a stray.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By C. Rathjens, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 29th, 2018

My first guess would be that he has either fleas or allergies, and either way it appears that he has a secondary bacterial infection at this point. I would recommend taking him to the vet for further evaluation. Good luck!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on January 14th, 2018
Hair loss in this area is often due to fleas. I would first examine him well for fleas and give the necessary treatment if you find them. Below is a link to some good information that can help you with this.

https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas/

Other causes of hair loss could be lice, mites, fungal/bacterial infections or allergies. There are other more rare conditions that can cause this too, but are not as likely in this case. If you are having trouble finding the problem, then it would be best to have Shadow evaluated by a veterinarian. We can usually find the reason for this relatively quickly and provide the necessary treatment.

I hope that helps and Shadow gets better soon.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on June 19th, 2020
Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Oscar, and thank you for providing pictures, they are very helpful! That hair loss is severe! This overgrooming could be due to fleas, mites, allergies, or a medical condition such as hyperthyroidism. This overgrowing is so severe that it cannot be treated at home. You need to take him into the vet to get this diagnosed and treated. I would take him into the vet in the morning. I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Why does my cat have red dots at the base of her inner ear?

Is your pet itching or scratching at its head/ears? Outdoor kitty with the potential for being in a fight or being wounded? These could be excoriations/superficial wounds. If your pet is scratching/itching a lot than these could be caused by an ear infection (bacteria/yeast/ear mites) or allergy (food, flea, etc.), etc. Some medications older cats take can also cause an itchy face, so if your pet is taking a new medication this could be the cause and you should alert your veterinarian. As the lesions appear raw and ulcerated the best plan would be to have your pet seen by your family veterinarian for an exam and ear assessment. That way if medications are needed to improve comfort they can be prescribed. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My cat is scratching its head a lot and it's red. What could it be?

Scratching around the ears or eyes may indicate an allergy, or may even indicate a problem with the ears themselves such as an infection or ear mites (very common in cats). Signs of [ear mites](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/ear-mites/) include dark or dirty debris that is black or deep red in appearance, or you may see other debris that is foul-smelling in the ears. Ear mites and infections usually require a sample being taken by the vet to determine the exact cause, as well as a regimen of [cleaning the ears](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-clean-your-cat-s-ears-what-you-need-to-know/) with a medicated cleaner for 7-10 days. Ear mites can be spread to other pets, so treating any other dogs or cats in the house at the same time is best. If the ears are clear but you are seeing redness, it may indicate an allergy, or even possible problems such as [ring worm](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/ringworm/) (which appear as a red "target" ring that will gradually increase in size over time, and IS contagious to other pets and people). Your vet can provide you with an allergy medication dosage to treat minor allergies, or may ask you to bring in your cat for an exam if you suspect ringworm or other skin infections.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My cat's ears are red, rough, losing hair. Not mites. What's wrong?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Judging from the photos you have provided, I would suspect this to be a severe allergic reaction or something such as a cancerous skin condition of the ear pinna. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine this so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. Vampira may need a course of steroids to treat this if it is a mosquito bite hypersensitivity or other allergy. 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.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why is my cat losing fur on his ear and scratching constantly?

Poor Panda! I can tell by the look of his ears that he has been scratching at them quite a bit causing some self trauma which is evident by the red spots (erythema), hair loss and inflammation. A very common cause in cats would be ear mites. This is a very easily treatable condition that your veterinarian would be able to dignose and treat effectively. Best of luck!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why is my cat's skin suddenly flaky, even with a flea allergy?

Hi and thanks for your question! Flaky skin around the head and ears could be the result of constant itching of those areas due to flea allergy or another cause may be ring worn which typically presents in flaky round patches on the head and neck. If it does not improve soon then it if worth a trip to the vet for a skin scrape and fungal culture. Hope this has helped!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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

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.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why does my cat have red hairless spots on his head and face?

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!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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