Why is my kitten losing hair patches behind ears and above his eye?

Poor Floyd! Chronic skin conditions like this can be very frustrating. The most common causes of hair loss with raw patches would include allergies (food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment), a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). Certain types of systemic illnesses, such as hyperthyroidism, can also cause skin problems and hair loss in cats - this would be less common in a relatively young cat like Floyd, but still possible. With weight loss as well as skin issues, a food allergy would be somewhat high on my list of suspicions - so if you have not done a diet trial with a prescription hypoallergenic food such as Hills z/d or Purina HA, this might be worth a try. Simply changing from one over-the-counter diet to another is not as helpful. Other testing that may be helpful for Floyd to help get a diagnosis for his problem would include blood work, bacterial and fungal skin cultures, a skin scrape to check for mites, and/or allergy testing to try and identify what he might be allergic to. Since antibiotics and steroids have not been helpful so far, I would suggest talking with your vet to see what he/she recommends as the next step for Floyd. If your vet doesn't have any other suggestions at this point, you can seek a second opinion from another local vet, or request referral to a veterinary dermatologist for further work-up.

Your cat may well have ear mites, which are contagious and extremely itchy, causing cats to scratch their ears raw inside and in front of the ears. I would have an exam done right away so your veterinarian can start the appropriate treatment. You'll have to figure out how to get him into a kennel to go for a vet visit!

Yes. Especially with kittens, ringworm (which humans can get) and bacterial infections are common. It’s best to get a handle on this early. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

This is a tricky question because a bacterial skin infection, ringworm, and skin mites can all appear very similar. The only way to tell them apart is by either treating for one of them or doing specific skin tests like a skin scrape, a skin cytology, and a fungal culture. I think it is ok that you are using the Malaseb shampoo for now. If the issue does not resolve over the course of a week or so then you may want to have your cat examined by your vet to determine the exact cause of hair loss. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

I think you should get a second opinion from another vet. There are many causes of hair loss from the ears. They include fungal infections, fur mite or flea infestation, allergies from food and/or the environment, hormonal imbalances, environmental conditions, autoimmune disease, dietary deficiencies, behavioral issues, etc.

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 am sorry to hear about your kitty! The hair loss around the eyelids we see here is not a normal hair loss. I would be concerned about possible allergies, ectoparasites such as mites, or bacterial infection. I would recommend bringing Cairo in for an examination by the vet. They can test for parasites and determine the appropriate treatment for him based on examination. This may include topical medications, oral medications or injections depending on what they find on his physical examination and history.