Cats balding on back half

Hello!! I have 3 cats, 1 longhair, 1 shorthair, and 1 med. hair. All three of these guys are losing fur on the back half of their bodies to their tails. They do have fleas, but we have sprayed the house and powdered them, and this is still happening. I have never heard of this happening before. Does anyone have any idea what this could be or an idea for treatment short of putting Rogaine on them? Any help would be very much appreciated since my boss forgot to pay me before he went on vacation ( ), so I have just enough for gas and groceries this week.

 

Sounds like fleas to me!! My dog had the same type of symtoms. He is allergic to fleas. Powders dont really work well. I swear by frontline its a little pricey but well worth it in the long run. You could end up with an infestion of your house, apt and then they would start jumpin on you. Ive tried just about every product when it comes to fleas over the yrs. and frontline plus is hands down the best ive found

 

I personally use Advantage, however one thing that you must remember is that you need to use the product for Cats. The dog version of many meds are toxic and may even be fatal to cats.

What it sounds like to me is that your cats have "Flea Bite Dermatitis", which is basically caused by an allergy to the saliva of the fleas which affects the cats when bitten.

I have in a previous post mentioned, though not by brand, a carpet/furniture spray I have used for years with great results. it is in a purple can and we call it the *Upside Down Spray* because the can is made to be sprayed upside down. Be sure to allow a couple of hours to dry before letting your animals back in where it was sprayed.

Hope this helps,
RhainyC

 

Thank you very very much!!!! I had never heard of flea bite dermatitis, but it does sound highly likely since one of the furballs (beyond ugly now) gets this on a semi-annual basis. I have bite marks about ankle level now, they don't itch, but they do look kinda strange.

 

A visit to the vet is in order for prevention and treatment recommendations. Cats that have flea allergies will bite at the base of their tail and scratch frequently. The bite of a single flea can cause hours and days of intense itching. As a result, many cats lose hair above the base of the tail. If the cat is bathed or treated regularly, very little evidence of fleas may be found. Daily combing of cats with flea comb is helpful. Severely affected cats may itch over their entire bodies, have generalized hair loss, and red inflamed skin. Hot spots are often a result of flea bite allergies.

Environmental controls require treating the house, yard, and sleeping area of the cat with a product that kills the adults (adulticide) and with an insect growth regulator as well. An effective flea prevention program is much safer and easier than dealing with a full blown flea infestation on cats and inside home.

 

The upside down spray I was talking about does have an insect growth regulator and works for about 3 months. It is a very good product.

Twelvepole is right about seeking veterinary attention for the flea bite dermatitis as well, if it is bad and there are visible scales/wounds. It can cause a lot of internal trouble, along with external scarring to leave it untreated.

Just fyi, I am a retired Vet Tech, and love to help folks with furry kids.

Hope your situation is improving!

Best Regards,
RhainyC

 

If my boss ever gets around to paying me after he comes back from vacation, I will try to afford a vet visit.

 

If my boss ever gets around to paying me after he comes back from vacation, I will try to afford a vet visit.