Cat losing the hair on his belly

[LinZ]

Hey guys - it's been a long time since I've been here, and I was happy to see the board is still going strong.

I return with a question about my cat, Rolly. When I returned home from college for holiday vacation, I noticed that Rolly had almost no hair on his belly. The area was not irritated in any way, and he was not biting or scratching at it. There was just some very fine hair covering the area - as if hair had been cut off and it was starting to grow back.

My mom wrote me a letter a few days ago and she said he's still losing the hair on his belly. I am wondering if this is the result of stress - my youngest cat, Kip, has a tendancy to chase Rolly around constantly, corner him, fight with him, etc. Rolly isn't much of a fighter, and he takes it. Kip is not discouraged by Rolly's menacing growls and hisses either.

What do you guys think? Could Rolly's hair loss be due to the stress he's under from my other cat?

[Phoebe's human]

My cat's lower belly area is often almost hairless. The hair keeps trying to go back, and sometimes it looks as if it's getting fairly dense. Then she starts in on her licking routine. That seems to be why she's losing hair in that area--it's her favorite area to lick.

I've heard that in some cats this licking to the point of losing hair can be a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Other times it might be due to an allergy.

You don't say if your cat's entire belly has no hair, or just the lower part. Most cats can't lick their upper belly very well, and so if it's the entire area that is involved, it's probably not due to licking.

[Traci]

Only way to know for certain, LinZ is to get him checked by your vet. We've talked about this before.

[LinZ]

You don't say if your cat's entire belly has no hair, or just the lower part. Most cats can't lick their upper belly very well, and so if it's the entire area that is involved, it's probably not due to licking.

It's only his lower belly where the hair is falling out. I can't really do much from here, and I know there will be no convincing my mom to take Rolly to a vet unless he gets very ill (i.e., when he had a bladder stone). But, I suppose if he isn't in pain, isn't feeling irritated, and his normal life isn't impeded by his hair loss, I guess he should be okay.

I never thought cats could have OCD...learn something new every day, I guess.
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[Traci]

But, I suppose if he isn't in pain, isn't feeling irritated, and his normal life isn't impeded by his hair loss, I guess he should be okay.

LinZ, unfortunately, there are various health illnesses that can cause a miriad of symptoms, even fur loss. Hypothyroidism, for example, can be one cause. Not getting him checked for hidden health issues can be detrimental to his health. Regular exams are imperative for health and wellness and for the welfare of our pets. Without them, diseases progress undetected, and progress rapidly, until it is too late for treatment (which could all be prevented if detected early on)

Why is the other cat allowed to chase, corner and fight with him? Do you see a problem? Stress is the number one cause of health issues, this behavior needs to be addressed suitably and appropriately. You know there are various posts here on these issues, all helpful tips to address the issues.

[davet]

o think the term Hair is fallling out is a mis nomer...thehair is being pulled out by the cats tongue etiher due to allergy to food, rugs, grass anything...I think if you use a wrap collar around tyhe neck or at worst an E-collar for about two weeks and you see the hair is staying then i feel sure you have an allergy problem...