What's going on with my cat's ear hair loss?

The main causes of cat ear hair loss include seasonal shedding, malnutrition, ringworm infection, and ear mites. First, when seasons change, cats will experience normal physiological shedding, which includes overall hair loss and increased shedding. This is a normal phenomenon. However, if sudden hair loss occurs and the cat persistently scratches its ears, it may be caused by a ringworm infection or ear mites. It is recommended that owners take their cats to a pet hospital as soon as they notice ear hair loss to receive examination and treatment. Only targeted treatment can be the best solution.

Seasonal Shedding

Cats will undergo normal physiological shedding in spring and autumn to adapt to the new climate. This usually manifests as overall hair loss and is a normal phenomenon. Owners do not need to worry too much. However, if there is a large area of hair loss in a specific area, it is necessary to pay attention, as the cat may have a skin disease.

Malnutrition

If a cat's diet is monotonous and only consists of cat food for a long time, it may lead to poor hair quality and easy shedding due to malnutrition. In severe cases, the cat may even shed large patches of hair. Therefore, owners should pay attention to the balanced diet of their cats and not just feed them with cat food. They should also feed the cats with some meat and vegetables.

Ringworm Infection

Usually, when a cat has ringworm on its ears, hair loss will occur. In this case, it is recommended to go to a professional pet hospital and perform a scraping dye microscope examination of the affected ear area to confirm the diagnosis before treating the ringworm with antifungal drugs.

Ear Mites

If a cat has just contracted ear mites, there will be no hair loss around the ears. However, if the ear mites become severe, causing inflammation such as middle ear infection, allergy, or excessive scratching of the ears by the cat, hair loss may occur around the ears. It is recommended to wear a collar to prevent the cat from scratching and actively treat the ear mites. However, it is necessary to confirm the diagnosis first; it is not advisable to assume that the hair loss is caused by ear mites. Ear mites require the first use of ear wash to clean excess secretions, followed by relevant ear medications.