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

Hi there! There are a few things this could be including, primary dermatological problem, trauma (especially if you have another cat in the house that could have swatted Hugo and scratched his face), or potentially tooth related. I would recommend having the area evaluated by a veterinarian for diagnostics like skin scrape for skin problems, clip/clean if trauma, and an oral exam/oral x-rays to identify a tooth related problem. Another option would be to continue to monitor the area. Any changes such as spreading hair loss, swelling, drainage, or if Hugo becomes bothered by the lesion he definitely needs to be seen by a veterinarian. I think it is worth going ahead and taking him in so that things do not progress. Hope this helps!

I’m sorry to hear about Onyx! This looks like it could be irritation from rubbing/scratching at the eye, a skin infection, mites, ringworm, or a hypersensitivity reaction (often to fleas, mosquitos, etc). If you have an E-collar, put that on so he can’t continue to scratch at it. Then book the next available appointment with your vet to help determine what is most likely the cause. Best of luck to you and Onyx!

I am sorry to hear about Onyx. I would wonder with the change in location if this could be allergy related. We can sometimes see irritation/inflammation around the eyes due to allergies. We can also see this with some mites, bacterial or viral infections, or autoimmune diseases. I would recommend an examination by a veterinarian to try to pinpoint the underlying cause. They can then prescribe either oral or topical medications depending on what they determine the cause of the hair loss to be. Best of luck to you and Onyx!

I am sorry to hear about your kitty! The two most common causes for lesions/irritation in this region would be an ear issue (the cat is traumatizing the skin while trying to get to the ear) such as infection, mites, or foreign body within the ear; or allergies (we can have allergies to foods or environmental allergies like pollen, dust). I would recommend bringing your kitty into the vet so they can look down into the ears with an otoscope to check for abnormalities. Dependingon their findings they can prescribe medication to help treat this issue.

It looks like scabbing may be on Wizard's head. This can be from irritation from his ear or even eye. If he is trying to rub or scratch one or the other he can be getting this spot. I would recommend a visit to the veterinarian to have his eye, ear and skin in the area evaluated. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Leo's skin could look like that for any of the reasons you listed and add skin mites to the list as well. The problem with skin conditions is that they all clinically look the same. Diagnostics or sometimes a response to treatment is the only way to know what is the underlying condition. For a young cat like Leo, fleas, skin mites or ringworm is more common but allergic reactions are not impossible. That lesion on his head looks pretty inflamed. if you don't see any obvious cause like fleas, I recommend to have him examined by his veterinarian. The veterinarian who will look for other clues on the physical exam to get a better idea what the underlying cause is. Ringworm and mites can be ruled out with some simple diagnostics and he can receive medication to heal the lesions. You may start an omega 3 fatty acid for cats as this can help with inflammation and skin health but it may not fix the problem. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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 Freckles 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 him overgrooming 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!