My cat is losing fur under her eye. When should I take her to the vet?

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There is a variety of reasons that can explain alopecia or hair loss. The causes can easily be differentiated by the clinical signs associated with it and the physical exam findings. If he is only showing some hair loss without scratching or overgrooming then it could conditions such as alopecia areata that can affect cats and usually resolves on its own. If there is evidence of scratching and you start noticing some redness or irritation associated with it, then other conditions such as allergies are possible. If you notice himovergrooming himself in that area then it could be something like psychogenic alopecia which is more of a behavioral issue. I think that since he is not having overt clinical signs and it is mostly hair loss, I think it is possibly transient and could resolve on its own. You can monitor this closely and if it does not resolve or it worsens then have him examined by your veterinarian. Good luck!

Hi and thank you for your post.! It is hard to see and make out the detailing the pictures- there is a flash there. However, hair loss around an eye in cats may be suspicious to fungal infection (ringworm) which typically occurs around the face. A veterinarian can diagnosis this with a fungal culture. Sunshine may need to be on an anti fungal mediation if this is the diagnosis by your veterinarian. Best to you and Sunshine! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

This area doesn't look terribly suspicious of ringworm. It could have just been a scab that was there that fell off and took the hair with it. If you are really concerned though it is best to have your vet take a closer look at the area. THe hair needs to be parted and then the skin palpated to confirm if this was just a scab or if there is evidence on the skin of a possible infection (bacterial or fungal). I hope that things work out well for your pet Cam moving forward. Take care.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It does look like he has a small patch without hair. However, if it is not associated with itchiness, redness, discharge or a mass effect, I would continue to monitor him unless you notice any other symptoms like the ones described above. It may be just a periodic loss of hair which he will recover from uneventfully. Good luck and have a good night!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Moka. It looks like she may have an injury above that eye. Gently clean it with warm water, and monitor it. If it looks infected, or she rubs at it, you see redness in the eye, or eye discharge, then I would take her into a vet. I hope this helps!

There are a multiple things that can cause hairloss in cats including bacterial infections, fungal infections (ringworm), allergies, mites, and fleas. She should be examined by a vet to determine the cause and treatment. Your vet may need to do some diagnostic tests to diagnose the problem.

A little thinning of the hair in these areas is normal but what I see in the photos is not normal. I think Bella needs to see a vet for this issue. This could be ringworm, mange mites, an autoimmune disease, allergy, etc. Your vet will have to help sort this out.