Why are my kittens losing hair in patches? Is it treatable?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your kittens. They will need to see a veterinarian for skin testing. They will likely need a fungal culture to check for ringworm and skin scrapes to look for mites under the microscope. There is a common mite in kittens that lives within the hair follicles. An overgrowth can result in bald spots that do not typically itch. These mites are microscopic and cannot be seen by looking at the cats. I hope this information helps and you are able to get their skin cleared up!

I recommend to have your kitten examined by the veterinarian. The hair loss could be related to ringworm which can spread to humans. Other causes include poor nutrition or heavy internal parasites (some of which can also spread to humans). You veterinarian will treat for any parasites or ringworm and get your new kitten started off on the right foot. Make sure to feed a high quality kitten food such as Royal Canin or Science Diet. I hope this helps.

With this breed and the signs I would be worried about ringworm. Persian cats and other long-haired breeds are prone to this type of fungal infection and in fact the mother may have it and be what's called an asymptomatic carrier. I recommend practicing strict hygiene protocols with handling the kittens and discussing with your veterinarian if they feel they should be testing for ringworm. I agree with your veterinarian that this is unlikely to be a side effect of the medication previously given.

Poor Crookshanks (great name!) and his friend! The most common causes of patchy hair loss are from contagious infectious conditions, such as ringworm or mange. Both ringworm and Sarcoptic mange can be transmitted to other animals and humans. I recommend taking both cats to the vet for exams and fungal cultures (to rule out ringworm) and skin scrapes (to rule out the mites causing mange). From there, the vet will be able to determine the best medications for the problem at hand. Also make sure that both cats are receiving a high quality flea preventative (such as Advantage or Revolution) monthly to prevent any skin issues due to fleas. I hope that all goes well!

I would bring Kitten 4 to the vet for a checkup if you haven't already. Not getting enough nutrition, an underlying illness or metabolic issue, or even something such as parasites/fungal/skin infections could be causing hair loss. Excessive grooming by the kitten or mom may also cause hair loss in the areas where it is scratched or licked too much. If kitten is bothered by it, using an e-collar or tiny t-shirt to prevent scratching and chewing may help until your vet can take a look to determine the cause.

I would be concerned that your cat either picked up fleas from the kittens and may have a hypersensitivity to them causing a dermatitis- OR - perhaps the kittens may have had ringworm which is a contagious fungal infection. Perhaps if you posted again and included photos of the affected skin we could get a better idea. If it was behavioral or stress related, there is usually just hair loss but normal healthy skin. If there is hair loss and abnormal skin....there is most likely a medical cause such as the two I mentioned. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

No, Missing hair is not a common side effect of vaccinations, and certainly not within hours of the vaccines. I would worry more about things like ring worm or mites. I would encourage you to have a follow up appointment with your veterinarian. They may consider a skin scrape or a fungal culture for ring worm. In the meantime I would recommend using good hygiene as ring worm is contagious to people as well. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.