My cat is pulling out his fur again. Is it allergies or something else?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Poor Neo! Pattern baldness like this can be caused by a number of things -- typically parasites, fungal infections and bacterial infections, which your vet seems to have ruled out already at your last exam and with the antibiotics. That said, other causes such as allergies (to food or environment) and stress leading to excessive rubbing or grooming may also cause pattern baldness along with flaking of the skin. If the antibiotics haven't helped, I'd bring Neo back to your vet for additional testing, such as a skin scraping to send to a lab (if it wasn't done last check) to more strictly rule out any remaining infection/parasites that could be taking hold. I would also see if your vet can provide an antihistamine to see if it helps -- a sign that it could be allergy related. A food trial may also be recommended by your vet if food allergies are suspected. If all health issues are ruled out, looking to anxiety or overgrooming as a cause is a good next step. Pheromone diffusers to reduce stress, increased play time, stopping manual grooming with an E-collar, and consulting a local animal behaviorist or trainer can all help.

This is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites or it could be stress related. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment (advocate or advantage), then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). If allergy is not identified this behaviour could be purely stress related. Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

This could be either one or both. Without seeing him in person, it’s hard for me to say for sure. Since the hairloss is new and since your are pregnant, I would have your vet check him out to see to make sure nothing else is going on. Your vet will be able to start him on some medicine to help his fur. Your vet can even start an anti-anxiety medicine if he isn’t improving. I hope this helps!

The cat pulling out fur could have fleas, allergies, skin infection, mites, etc. He should be examined by a vet to determine the cause and best treatment. He may need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, corticosteroid, or other medications. Your other cat may have an upper respiratory infection and/or eye infection. She should also be seen by a vet for treatment as she may need an antibiotic and eye drops. Please have your vet take a look at both of them so treatment can be started.

If this seems to be something that is happening only in the summer but every single time, there is likely a seasonal allergic component to the condition Skinny Butt is experiencing. I would also be concerned about exposure to insect, with fleas in particular being a possible major cause of her discomfort. The first thing I would do is to make sure he is on a preventative product. There are many different ones on the market available. Your veterinarian may be able to tell you which is best for your particular geographic area. I would also encourage you to speak with your vet about medication to prevent the itchiness that is currently affecting him. There are steroidal and non-steroidal drugs available to cats that are able to help quite a bit with this type of discomfort. Hope this helps!

Hi, and thanks for your question. This could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). The following products can be found online and can be tried as a first line approach: Douxo PS Calm shampoo, Essential 6 spot on by dermoscent, Krillex Krill oil chews. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!