Why does my adopted cat have shaved spots on both sides of her tail?

The most common cause of hair loss around the tail is from flea allergies so I would definitely check her thoroughly for fleas. Other possibly causes are anal gland problems, seasonal allergies, ringworm, mites, infections. She should be examined by a vet to determine the cause and appropriate treatment.

If you notice several pets affected, things like fleas, skin mites and ringworm become more suspicious. I recommend to check them/treat them for fleas. If they do not respond with 2 weeks or if they start getting worse, figure out a way to have them examined. You may look into financing through Care Credit or Scratch Pay. Lastly, you may call the local humane society to ask if they offer/know of any low cost solutions. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Based on the picture it appears that she may have had a lot of clumping debris on her fur? If her skin was irritated from debris encrusting the underside of her belly then it could cause enough irritation to cause hair loss. Also skin infection and ringworm are also possible causes. I would encourage you to monitor her closely for any other changes. If You feel the shelter vet if too busy then I would encourage you to consider having a second opinion. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

The most common reason that we will see hair loss at the base of the tail is a flea allergy. Even if you do not see fleas on Benny, it is still possible. Cats are very good groomers, so they will often groom the fleas off themselves before we can find them. And if a cat has a flea allergy, they only need 1 flea bite per week to keep them itchy. So, my first recommendation for Benny is to make sure that all animals in the house are on regular flea prevention. I am attaching an article on flea control that also has a link to flea control products. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1575 If you are not seeing improvement with a flea prevention or notice any bumps or redness in that area, I would be certain to have your veterinarian examine Benny to see what else might be going on. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Moly is adorable! Her tail does appear slightly shorter than average and this could have simply been the way that she was born, or related to other trauma. Some kittens experience tail trauma at birth if the umbilical cord is wrapped around the tail, causing part of it to fall off. Other cats can experience broken tails or other injuries that require amputation. Unfortunately, there is no way of determining the cause of Moly's tail condition at this point in time, but I think she's a cutie just the way she is! :-)

The black spots look like pigment in the picture. If it is not pigment I would recommend bringing Catto to the veterinarian to look at it. With the pictures, it is difficult to definitively tell. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I recommend taking Jiriya to a vet to rule out a skin infection. The areas you describe sound a lot like an allergic reaction to fleas. Sometimes you will not see fleas on a cat because they are good groomers. If there is a skin infection, he will need antibiotics. If there is a reaction he may need an anti-inflammatory. Also, if there are fleas he needs a topical prevention from a vet applied every 30 days for at least 3 months to kill the flea life cycle. Once a diagnosis is made by your veterinarian they can discuss the best treatment option for Jiriya. Good luck and kisses to Jiriya!