Totally bald ears?

[Jackie&Louise]

Hi all! This site has been really helpful to me with my most recent kitty endeavors. I've been able to find threads that have answered all of my questions but one... so I just joined to ask my own question.
I would really like to figure out why this girl's ears are completely hairless!
I've just taken in a sweet pregnant stray kitty. I don't know if you guys would have agreed with this choice but because she seemed only a week or less away from giving birth I didn't want to put her under the extreme stress of being taken to the vet right after being scooped off the streets. 4 beautiful healthy babies were born last night and all of them will be going to their first vet appointment at 8 weeks.
So anyways, I'm sure I'll get an answer then on her naked ears but I'm impatient. I've examined them thoroughly and there is no sign of injury/ bugbites/scrapes. I'm familiar with ear mites and there are no signs of those. She never scratches them. Really this cat was in shockingly good health other than being quite thin and matted. Not a flea or tick on her, nice pink gums, seemingly normal urination and bowel movements. I'm only attaching one not very good image of her ears, as I don't want to bug her while she nurses.

 

[havecats]

I think it's wonderful of you to take in this sweet kitty during what could have been a really stressful, difficult time in her life had she remained on the streets. She looks quite content to be with you, and such a pretty cat! It almost looks in the picture like just one of her ears is hairless. The ear in the background looks hairless but the ear in the foreground looks like it has some hair. But maybe that is the lighting since you did say that both ears appear to be hairless. Which does seem odd because she has long hair and it doesn't make sense that she wouldn't have hair on her ears. I was thinking maybe a bad case of ear mites but you said she doesn't appear to have them. Perhaps the stress of being on her own and also being pregnant possibly caused her some hair loss. I'm sure someone will chime in soon with more insight. Thanks for sharing about her. She is lucky to have you! :-)

 

[Jackie&Louise]

I'll get a better picture of them in the morning when shes comes out of her nest for breakfast. They are both totally bald lol we call them bat ears. It looks especially goofy because the INSIDES of her ears are full of hair like they are inside out. But definitely no mites, she let me really dig in there to check them out. Super clean looking! But yes very comfortable. It was crazy, it took her no time at all to warm up. She never hid at all. Got right in my lap and wants constant attention. She spent 40 minutes of her labor literally in my lap. I've exhausted the lost pets websites. I suspect maybe someone abandoned her despite finding her in a feral community.
It's fortunate she's so trusting of me. Poor thing was so tired, I needed to cut all the kittens umbilical cords and dry them for her. She was quite welcoming of the help. Has me babysit while she eats!
I'll attatch baby pictures

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Mama and the babies are adorable!! Since you talk of mama appearing to be in good health, it might be that she has what they call Feline Pinnal Alopecia. It is a genetically related condition that doesn't usually require any treatment. The skin is generally smooth and not itchy. Sometimes, that hair will spontaneously regrow. I have also heard it is more common in Siamese or Siamese mixes, but I am sure other cats can have it as well. The other thing that came to mind might be some sort of hormonal imbalance, which could be checked once you take her to the vet . I can't tell from the pictures, but are her inner ears as dark as the outer parts?

Until you get her into the vet, maybe you could send them pictures and ask what they think?

 

[Jackie&Louise]

I was thinking maybe the alopecia. That's the only thing I could come up with my googling. The insides of her ears are lighter more of a pinkish tan color. Here are the pictures, you can see she has plenty on the inside, not so much on the outside lol. I will see if the vet will take a look at an emailed picture. Unfortunately I moved to this area only a year ago so I don't have a very close relationship with my vet. Often if I call with a question it just gets shut down with "we'll have to examine her" and nothing else. I miss my old vet so much, we have a special needs dog with required monthly vet visits so had established a very good relationship with them