My cat's nose tip is losing hair. When should I take her to the vet?

Without further testing, it's impossible to determine what is going on with Felix. It might just be a scab from where he scraped his nose, and the hair will grow back normally. However, it could also be an infection (either fungal or bacterial). If there is any crusting in that area, the fur doesn't grow back normally or Felix has any other areas on him, I would have your veterinarian examine him sooner rather than later. Otherwise, you can likely just have your veterinarian examine it when he has his next routine scheduled exam. Please let me know if that was helpful and if you have any other questions. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes hair loss on a young cat can be a sign of a mite issue (Demodexx mites in particular). Unless there is some nose rubbing or irritation of the skin to explain the hairloss, this is an unusual location for a mite infestation to start up. I would recommend monitoring the hair loss for the next couple of days to a week to see if the hair loss continues to spread. If it dose then this would highly suggest mites and I would recommend taking him in to your vet for a skin scrape to look for mite infestation. If they are there (demodexx mites are not contagious), then your cat can be started on treatment to get the mite population back down to normal. Demodexx mites are found on every pets skin, however, a low immunity in some pets causes overpopulation and hair loss which can lead to secondary bacterial infections of the skin if not treated.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It looks like just minor hair loss. This could be from rubbing her eyes (allergies or irritation maybe?) or if she accidentally rubbed too hard against something. If you notice hair loss in other places too, or if you develope a red area or rash, we should add ringworm to the list of possibilities. I would say, watch for a few days. If nothing else hanged and Bella still seems happy, and eating well, keep monitoring. If any new signs arise including more bald spots, it’s time to see the vet. Best of luck to you and Bella!

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.

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.

Thanks for reaching out! That area does not appear abnormal. It may be that she scuffed a small amount of hair off or had a scab that fell off. The skin looks very normal and healthy. I would just monitor it for changes in color, itchiness, or if it begins to progress and notify your veterinarian if so.

This looks like hair loss on the tip of her ear. If the skin itself is smooth to the touch, then this is hair loss. This could be due to some kind of trauma, so I would suggest monitoring this to see if it resolves on its own within the next few weeks. Hair is slow to grow back fully, so as long as there is some hair growth in that time frame, that is considered progress. If the skin itself is not smooth, then an infection is likely present which needs to be checked by your local veterinarian for proper treatment. I hope that Kitty's ear issue resolves soon! Best of luck and take care.