by Sarah Huth

Created on: May 21, 2008

Like people, cats are prone to developing a number of skin conditions, caused by a variety of different factors. There are two main types of feline skin disorders; those that cause severe itching, and those that cause baldness. However, pinning down what exactly is causing any of these problems in your cat may be much more difficult than actually realizing what the problem is. As there are several potential causes for each type, extensive testing may have to be done in order to determine what exactly is causing your cat's skin condition.

Baldness in felines is generally a bad sign, unless you own a Sphinx cat, which are naturally bald. While it is possible that the hair is falling out itself, there is also a very good chance that the cat is actually pulling and chewing out the hair on its own. Talk things over with your veterinarian and answer questions to the best of your ability in order to help determine the cause of your cat's baldness. If you find that your cat is grooming itself far more than usual, and your veterinarian discovers broken hairs during the exam, it is very likely that your cat has been chewing out its fur.

One of the most common reasons that cats chew and pull out their own fur is due to allergies. Yes, our pets are just as susceptible to allergies as we are. Your cat could be allergic to fleas, which might be the case if fleas or flea dirt is discovered during their check up. However, even if no fleas are found, they could still be the source of your cat's allergy. When fleas collect blood, they leave some of their saliva into the animal's skin. Cats that are allergic to fleas would show a strong reaction to the saliva, even if they are bitten only once. This would cause severe itching, which would lead the cat to bite and pull at their fur.

Cats can also have severe food allergies. If this is the case, your cat may exhibit itching and scratching, scabs and crusts throughout their fur (miliary dermatitis), and self inflicted hair loss. While blood tests may be performed, they are often inconclusive when it comes to determining a food allergy. Sometimes the best thing to do in this case is to simply be very patient and experiment with your cat's diet, introducing them to different proteins that they have not yet had. This could take anywhere from three to eight weeks to yield results.

"Atopy" or allergies to airborne substances such as pollen or dust are also common. This too can lead to hair loss based on the chewing out of hair, as well as

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