Cat Hair Loss - Are You The Cause?

There are a number of reasons your pet may be experiencing cat hair loss.

Perhaps there are toxins, or perhaps there is a medical condition. But did you know that you as a pet owner may be the cause of cat hair loss. It's true. We know you aren't doing this intentionally, but it's not a bad idea to see if you are responsible, and how you can help it.

Let's look at your cat, for the purposes of this article we'll call him Frisky. Frisky is a typical cat. He's independent, he's a bit lazy, and certainly he feels like he runs the show in your home. It's his domain and he'll do whatever he wants. And that's OK with you because you love him. Well it may not be OK after all.

For instance, Frisky can be pretty finicky at times, especially when it comes to food. You've tried them all. You've purchased the most expensive canned food, and you've tried feeding him from the table. Nothing seems to work consistently. Finally you throw up your hands and decide that if he's hungry enough, he'll eat. He of course leaves the room giving you the cold shoulder.

Well cats are creatures of habit, and by constantly changing his food you've been forcing him to change his habits. In cats this means stress to the max. And stress can manifest itself in several different ways. He may pace, he may constantly lick himself, he may meow loudly, and yes, he may lose his hair. And the longer he stays stressed, the more hair he will lose.

Of course noticing the hair loss your first reaction is probably to take him to the vet. Naturally tests were done, and the results were all negative and there was no physical illness. Your vet likely pointed out to you that stress could be a cause. Your reaction was probably to wonder what he could be stress about. He is, after all, the king of the house. Well after much discussion the truth comes out and the revolving food diet is probably the cause.

So when you get home, Frisky, now craving attention, starts rubbing against your leg. You don't have time for this right now. You still have to pick up the kids from school and prepare the dinner. You've just done something else that can result in cat hair loss. Frisky should be groomed frequently, daily if possible. Grooming increases the blood flow to his skin and stimulates his fur. Without it, he may lose his hair.

Realizing this, you brush his hair and he goes down for a nap. Uh-oh. Did you know a lack of exercise can also cause cat hair loss. Your job is to make sure this lazy cat gets the exercise he needs. Maybe that means having a string with a toy mouse on the end. Or maybe that means playing with his favorite toy. Get on your knees and play with him. You'll probably enjoy it as much as he does. Get into the habit of doing this on a daily basis.

Now Frisky is less stressed, well groomed, and well exercised. Did you notice those bald spots are done as well? Diet, grooming, exercise and stress can all lead to large bald spots. You probably caused the problems but the good news is, Frisky forgives you.