Cat Balding

[Athena_d]

Hi everyone!

First time poster here.

I’ve become quite concerned as my little one has been losing hair on her outer ear. I haven’t really noticed the progression but it seems to be slow. Someone pointed it out recently and I realized that she’s almost completely bald on her ears!! I called the vet and she doesn’t seem concerned, but has anyone’s little one experienced this? It’s concerning to me. She has asthma and kidney disease, so she receives daily medication and I’m not sure if this is a side effect or not. She’s also a highly stressed/anxious cat, but I mean she is a tortie.


I guess I’m wondering if anyone thinks this is benign? She doesn’t seem bothered by it.

Thanks in advance!

 

[neely]

I noticed you are a new member to TCS and would like to welcome you. Regarding the hair loss on your cat, if you are concerned but your vet is not you may want to consult a veterinary dermatologist for a 2nd opinion. There are a multitude of reasons for hair loss and perhaps a specialist with expertise in this area could be beneficial. In the meantime, here is an Article on skin conditions that might be helpful to read: Skin Conditions In Cats
Best of luck to your lovely tortie. Please keep us updated on her progress.

 

[Midnight_Echo]

Midnight is like that ~ goes bald at random. First time it happened, vet thought I had shaved her ~ no red marks or anything was seen on her skin, just a big white patch. Ended up getting a cortisone shot to stop the allergy. I left the office with a prescription for CPM (antihistamine). Also saw a veterinary dermatologist. They suggested allergy shots. Only managed to do them for a few years ~ the price was outrageous. One other thing that did help...through trial and error was able to figure out that Midnight had gluten/grain intolerance. Doing so much better being grain/gluten free. True, still goes bald from time to time (not as bad as it was a few years ago) but once I see a bald spot, I give her the CPM and it keeps things from escalating.

Also ~ keep the nails trimmed. It may not totally solve the problem, but it may keep it from getting worse.

(...make sure the vet sees the baldness up close. Let him/her be the judge if it’s concerning or not. Least they’d be aware. Just make sure to watch out for any unusual symptoms ~ not eating, etc. Anything unusual along with the baldness, get the cat in to be seen.)

 

[jcat]

Your vet didn't want to examine her? I'd be concerned about an allergy or possibly ringworm or mites.

 

[LTS3]

It could be a food allergy or other kind of allergy. One of my cats gets bald ears and spots on his head whenever he has an allergy to something.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Athena_d - regarding the medicine you use for your kitty's asthma, do you use only Flovent with the Aerokat, oral Prednisolone, or both (or a different steroid)? And how long has your kitty been on meds for asthma?

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Hi everyone!

First time poster here.

I’ve become quite concerned as my little one has been losing hair on her outer ear. I haven’t really noticed the progression but it seems to be slow. Someone pointed it out recently and I realized that she’s almost completely bald on her ears!! I called the vet and she doesn’t seem concerned, but has anyone’s little one experienced this? It’s concerning to me. She has asthma and kidney disease, so she receives daily medication and I’m not sure if this is a side effect or not. She’s also a highly stressed/anxious cat, but I mean she is a tortie.


I guess I’m wondering if anyone thinks this is benign? She doesn’t seem bothered by it.

Thanks in advance!

I'm just going to add more in addition to my previous comment/ question, as yes, I am experiencing this too. I'd really like to find the cause and, personally, I am leaning towards the use of steroids to treat asthma. It could just be the flovent, or that fact that I use a tiny bit of Pred along with daily Flovent because Milly's asthma is best controlled with that route. I've noticed my cat Milly's symetrically losing hair on the backs of her ears the past 6-8 months or so. It's been gradual. Her hair has always been thinner there, but when she was a kitten, the hair was definitely covering her ears. Now, we are noticing this change (like you, Athena_d) and are starting to call her "Bat ears"!

There is no redness, no scaly patches, no excessive scratching. It is not ringworm, mites, parasites, or stress. It is possible it is an allergy to a food protein like beef, as one of her favorite canned foods is beef-based.

But I know that since I've introduced the use of Flovent with the Aerokat inhaler about 13 months ago, I've noticed various changes in the past 8 mos or so ... like her black hair turning reddish brown but ONLY on her forearms where she bathes or licks her hair to wash her whiskers and face after dosing with Flovent/ Aerokat... and there are brown hair speckles around a few whisker bases where the face mask is placed... as if the steroids from the mask-breathing and the steroids in her saliva from just using the drug are changing the chemistry of that hair. Steroids definitely have a presence in saliva when used, so this was my thinking/ theory. The flovent/ fluticasone we purchase is sourced from Turkey, bought via a Canadian web site (buying this drug in the USA locally is very expensive, as any person with an asthmatic cat knows).

Anyway, I'm wondering if owners of asthmatic cats using steroid meds --whose cats are not black, or tuxedo, or torties!--, have noticed any changes in hair loss or hair coloring on their cats during the year(s) of use of steroids? I'd love to pin this down, whether it is Pred use, Flovent use, or just a food allergy. The hair does seem to be coming back in a bit (?) at times when I decrease the dose of steroids...


Milly is not having any signs that her ears are bothering her, they just have thinner hair on them now. I'm thinking of going to another vet and getting further testing and a 2nd opinion. Athena_d - have you gotten a 2nd opinion?

Milly's Bat Ears last month...


And this month...



edit: One more note... when I first noticed this going on, Milly's ears started out looking just like the OP's photo of her kitty's ears, where it was just the outer backs edges becoming hairless. It's progressed to encompassing more of her ears.

another edit: Sorry for the postscripts! but the more I think about this, the more I wonder if it does have to do with cortisol levels, steroid use... because don't CKD cats have issues woth cortisol metabolism too? And your cat has CKD? So maybe the addition of steroids and the fact that she's CKD means she's reaching a certain balance in processing the extra cortisol? My cat has used pred in small amounts either daily or every other day for more than a year. Maybe she's reached a "warning" point as well, with these "ear signs"? Not sure. But I've struggled with controlling her asthma just using one steroid, the inhaled Flovent. Every time we've tried to gradually discontinue her Pred, even on Flovent, she's had bad coughing attacks.So, I'll definitely be seeking a 2nd vet's opinion!

 

[Athena_d]

First of all, wow! I did not expect such support/comments/advice! Thank you

I'm just going to add more in addition to my previous comment/ question, as yes, I am experiencing this too. I'd really like to find the cause and, personally, I am leaning towards the use of steroids to treat asthma. It could just be the flovent, or that fact that I use a tiny bit of Pred along with daily Flovent because Milly's asthma is best controlled with that route. I've noticed my cat Milly's symetrically losing hair on the backs of her ears the past 6-8 months or so. It's been gradual. Her hair has always been thinner there, but when she was a kitten, the hair was definitely covering her ears. Now, we are noticing this change (like you, Athena_d) and are starting to call her "Bat ears"!

There is no redness, no scaly patches, no excessive scratching. It is not ringworm, mites, parasites, or stress. It is possible it is an allergy to a food protein like beef, as one of her favorite canned foods is beef-based.

But I know that since I've introduced the use of Flovent with the Aerokat inhaler about 13 months ago, I've noticed various changes in the past 8 mos or so ... like her black hair turning reddish brown but ONLY on her forearms where she bathes or licks her hair to wash her whiskers and face after dosing with Flovent/ Aerokat... and there are brown hair speckles around a few whisker bases where the face mask is placed... as if the steroids from the mask-breathing and the steroids in her saliva from just using the drug are changing the chemistry of that hair. Steroids definitely have a presence in saliva when used, so this was my thinking/ theory. The flovent/ fluticasone we purchase is sourced from Turkey, bought via a Canadian web site (buying this drug in the USA locally is very expensive, as any person with an asthmatic cat knows).

Anyway, I'm wondering if owners of asthmatic cats using steroid meds --whose cats are not black, or tuxedo, or torties!--, have noticed any changes in hair loss or hair coloring on their cats during the year(s) of use of steroids? I'd love to pin this down, whether it is Pred use, Flovent use, or just a food allergy. The hair does seem to be coming back in a bit (?) at times when I decrease the dose of steroids...


Milly is not having any signs that her ears are bothering her, they just have thinner hair on them now. I'm thinking of going to another vet and getting further testing and a 2nd opinion. Athena_d - have you gotten a 2nd opinion?

Milly's Bat Ears last month...
View attachment 220186

And this month...
View attachment 220187


edit: One more note... when I first noticed this going on, Milly's ears started out looking just like the OP's photo of her kitty's ears, where it was just the outer backs edges becoming hairless. It's progressed to encompassing more of her ears.

another edit: Sorry for the postscripts! but the more I think about this, the more I wonder if it does have to do with cortisol levels, steroid use... because don't CKD cats have issues woth cortisol metabolism too? And your cat has CKD? So maybe the addition of steroids and the fact that she's CKD means she's reaching a certain balance in processing the extra cortisol? My cat has used pred in small amounts either daily or every other day for more than a year. Maybe she's reached a "warning" point as well, with these "ear signs"? Not sure. But I've struggled with controlling her asthma just using one steroid, the inhaled Flovent. Every time we've tried to gradually discontinue her Pred, even on Flovent, she's had bad coughing attacks.So, I'll definitely be seeking a 2nd vet's opinion!

PushPurrCatPaws, yes!!! She uses Flovent, and at the highest possible dose. We get her prescriptions at a Canadian pharmacy. She doesn’t take oral prednisone unless she has a severe attack. She’s quite an aggressive kitty with oral medication, so we try to keep her stress free as much as possible. When you say Milly’s hair is becoming reddish in certain areas, we can relate here. A friend who hasn’t seen Athena in a while commented that her gold patches are becoming more orange! Interesting.

I was hoping it wasn’t a food allergy. Because of her kidney disease she’s on a very specific diet and it took months to find a food she finally loves!! I guess we can’t rule anything out until the vet examines her, but it’s not bothering her, we see no behaviour changes and no excessive grooming.

Thank you for all of the replies!

 

[Athena_d]

I love all of your theories Push! Very interesting. I think I’m going to do some more research about it

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Yeah, I hope it's not a food allergy, too. My cat's pretty stubborn in regards to food(s)!

Too much cortisol can really affect a cat, all kinds of chemical/ metabolic things can happen. agh! It will be interesting (and hopeful!) if we keep in touch, and see if we can learn anything concrete.

Is your cat older? The thing is, mine will only be 3 in April, so I'm pretty concerned. I really want her off of Pred and have tried so many, very gradual and controlled times to get her off of oral Pred, with vet input, that I've lost count. When she's on just Flovent she still coughs, or maybe I don't have the flovent dose high enough. She really has some fierce coughing attacks and production of mucus without the "right" amount of steroids, it's aggravating. If I can ever get her decreased on steroids so that a good exam can be done, I really want to see if she has polyps that get inflamed or grow when there are less steroids in her. I'd love her coughing to be because of that, something surgery might help... but it's going to take time to find out properly.
I want more than anything for this to not be going on, but... alas.

 

[Athena_d]

She’s not much older. She just turned 4 in October and was diagnosed at 2! Athena used to be on daily Pred but we managed to control the asthma with Flovent and salbutamol. What dose of fluticasone does Milly have? I believe Athena is at 250mcg.

 

[LTS3]

Cats can become allergic / sensitive to certain ingredients. Chicken is a common allergen and it's in nearly everything, even things that might say something like "fish flavor". Grains, gums, and fillers are other allergens.

Don't rule out other things that might be causing the bald ears, no matter how unrelated it may seem. My cat gets bald spots from seafood flavored toothpaste

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

... When you say Milly’s hair is becoming reddish in certain areas, we can relate here. A friend who hasn’t seen Athena in a while commented that her gold patches are becoming more orange! Interesting.
...

I thought I'd show a non-flash photo of her ears two months ago, and you can kind of also see the brown tinge to her left forearm. You can see in the second picture taken at the same time period (this photo with flash) that her other black hair on her body seems fine, but you can see some of the brown hair on her forearm. Again, I think steroids are getting on her arm(s) when she licks her forearms in order to then wash her face and ears, and maybe the steroid in her saliva is likely what is turning that hair brown. I think the steroid is affecting the melanin pigment somehow. (??? - theory-)

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

She’s not much older. She just turned 4 in October and was diagnosed at 2! Athena used to be on daily Pred but we managed to control the asthma with Flovent and salbutamol. What dose of fluticasone does Milly have? I believe Athena is at 250mcg.

Her dose is 125mcg, normally one actuation, 7-10 inhales -- Milly's prescription is for that BID (twice daily), but since she's also on a bit of Pred, I only give her twice-daily Flovent when the allergens are a lot higher (wintertime, dry air; birch tree and honeysuckle pollen outside our windows in Springtime and fall). What I normally do is an early morning Flovent dose, and then the small Pred dose (1.25-2.5 mg either daily or every other day) about five hours after that, and she does well with that most of the year.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Cats can become allergic / sensitive to certain ingredients. Chicken is a common allergen and it's in nearly everything, even things that might say something like "fish flavor". Grains, gums, and fillers are other allergens.

Don't rule out other things that might be causing the bald ears, no matter how unrelated it may seem. My cat gets bald spots from seafood flavored toothpaste

I already found out that Milly reacts (digestively) to chicken when she was young... so she hasn't had chicken for years. She's always been on grain-free canned, with low fillers/fibers, and with only certain gums contained therein. I'm aware of the morass of food allergies and/or sensitivities... at this point and with what we've been experiencing, I'm looking towards the pred/flovent/cortisol theory. But thank you, lts3.

 

[Athena_d]

Cats can become allergic / sensitive to certain ingredients. Chicken is a common allergen and it's in nearly everything, even things that might say something like "fish flavor". Grains, gums, and fillers are other allergens.

Don't rule out other things that might be causing the bald ears, no matter how unrelated it may seem. My cat gets bald spots from seafood flavored toothpaste

You’re absolutely right. She has a chicken recipe right now... It’s a prescription diet, so maybe I’ll speak with the vet about another brand . It doesn’t hurt, but she’s so picky and canned Rx foods are so expensive. It’s not fun going through several $2 cans until it’s Athena approved! However, I went through some photos and it seemed to have started early last year when she was on a different formula.

I do have a strong feeling it’s from the fluticasone, but I can’t know for sure of course.

 

[Athena_d]

Her dose is 125mcg, normally one actuation, 7-10 inhales -- Milly's prescription is for that BID (twice daily), but since she's also on a bit of Pred, I only give her twice-daily Flovent when the allergens are a lot higher (wintertime, dry air; birch tree and honeysuckle pollen outside our windows in Springtime and fall). What I normally do is an early morning Flovent dose, and then the small Pred dose (1.25-2.5 mg either daily or every other day) about five hours after that, and she does well with that most of the year.

I guess every kitty is different! Athena can’t go without her Flovent, also BID. We tried to bring it down to once a day (vet suggested we try), and she had an asthma attack that warranted a visit to the emergency vet! No more exploring for us, that’s for sure.

 

[Athena_d]

I thought I'd show a non-flash photo of her ears two months ago, and you can kind of also see the brown tinge to her left forearm. You can see in the second picture taken at the same time period (this photo with flash) that her other black hair on her body seems fine, but you can see some of the brown hair on her forearm. Again, I think steroids are getting on her arm(s) when she licks her forearms in order to then wash her face and ears, and maybe the steroid in her saliva is likely what is turning that hair brown. I think the steroid is affecting the melanin pigment somehow. (??? - theory-)

View attachment 220196 View attachment 220197

She’s an angel!! I can relate with the fur and I see what you’re talking about. Here Athena is orange on her neck, but you can see before it was only slightly blonde. She grooms this area often!

 

[Athena_d]

Not the best photo, but I have a few others that show an almost white neck!

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

The most difficult thing about all of this is trying to figure it out, but with so many factors that could be possible... it's so hard to know the cause! I love Athena's photos! Such a beauty! Yet both of our cats are young, and one thing that could be hard to know with a tortie is what color markings might "mature" or develop (whiten or darken?) as she gets older. Are you saying that her "locket" or her neck markings were a lot whiter? And she licks under her chin, at her neck a lot?