Why do cats shed hair?

Cats shed hair due to seasonal shedding, parasites, and skin diseases. Severe shedding occurs in spring and autumn, and it is recommended to brush the cat more frequently during this period. External parasites can also cause hair loss in cats, requiring timely use of external parasite control products. Lastly, if a cat experiences severe hair loss in a specific area of the body, accompanied by symptoms such as crusts, dandruff, and itching, it may be caused by a skin disease.

1. Seasonal Shedding

Cats experience hair replacement every year during the spring and autumn seasons. Normally, there are no abnormalities in the body during seasonal shedding. It is advisable to brush the cat often to remove fallen hair, reducing the amount of floating hair and preventing it from entering the environment. You can also feed the cat substances like lecithin, fish oil, and vitamin B to promote healthy hair growth.

Due to cats' habit of licking their hair to clean themselves, it is necessary to feed the cat regularly with hair removal paste when shedding is severe. This prevents excessive hair build-up in the intestines, causing discomfort in the cat.

2. Hair Loss Caused by External Parasites

Cats infected with external parasites such as fleas, lice, and mange mites may also experience hair loss. These parasites bite the skin, causing intense itching. The cat scratches, bites, or rubs its fur, leading to hair loss. It is recommended to regularly apply external parasite control products to cats, usually preventing flea and tick bites monthly.

3. Skin Diseases That Cause Cat Hair Loss

Cats with fungal or bacterial infections may also develop hair loss symptoms, usually accompanied by dandruff, crusts, redness, and ulcers. However, the symptoms of fungal and bacterial infections are different, and accordingly, the specific treatment drugs also differ. To diagnose the type of infection, it is necessary to take the cat to the pet hospital for a skin scraping examination, and then treat accordingly based on the test results.

Fungal infections require treatment with anti-fungal sprays or medicated baths, while bacterial infections require the use of antibacterial and antifungal sprays.