Why Is My Cat Losing Fur or Overgrooming?

Common Questions You May Be Asking

If your cat is losing hair or overgrooming, you may be asking:

• Can allergies cause hair loss in cats?
• Can fleas cause hair loss in cats?
• Can stress cause a cat to pull their fur out?
• Why is my cat losing fur but not scratching?
• When should I see a specialist for hair loss?

These are some of the most common concerns we see, and they may be linked to either an underlying skin disease or, less commonly, a behavioural cause.

What Causes Hair Loss or Overgrooming in Cats?

Hair loss is a sign, not a diagnosis. Identifying whether the coat loss is due to self trauma, skin disease, infection, parasites, pain or behavioural factors is key to effective treatment.

The most common causes include:

• Allergic skin disease (cat allergies) → Learn more
  Allergies are a common cause of overgrooming and hair loss in cats. Environmental allergy, food related allergy and flea allergy can all trigger skin irritation, even when obvious scratching is limited. In many cats, allergy presents as excessive grooming, barbered fur, small scabs, skin lesions or recurrent flare-ups.
• Parasites (including fleas and mites) → Learn more
  Fleas, mites and other ectoparasites can cause significant irritation and may lead to overgrooming, patchy hair loss and skin lesions. In some cats, even minimal flea exposure can trigger marked disease, particularly where flea allergy is present.
• Skin infections → Learn more
  Bacterial or yeast infections may develop secondary to underlying skin disease and can contribute to inflammation, discomfort and ongoing skin lesions. Dermatophyte infection such as ringworm should also be considered in cats with hair loss, crusting or circular areas of alopecia.
• Pain or discomfort elsewhere in the body
  Some cats overgroom areas that are painful rather than itchy. For example, excessive licking over the belly, flanks, back or limbs can sometimes reflect underlying discomfort or pain, rather than a primary skin condition.
• Less common or more complex causes
  Less commonly, hair loss may be associated with immune mediated disease, eosinophilic granuloma complex, hormonal conditions or other skin disorders, particularly where the pattern is unusual or not responding as expected.
• Behavioural overgrooming
  In some cats, overgrooming may have a behavioural component. This is sometimes described as psychogenic or stress-related overgrooming. However, this is generally considered a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning medical causes such as allergy, parasites or skin disease should be carefully investigated first rather than assumed.

In many cats, more than one contributing factor may be involved, particularly where signs are ongoing or recurrent.

What Does Hair Loss or Overgrooming Look Like?

Cats naturally spend a significant amount of time grooming, but excessive or repetitive grooming that leads to hair loss, skin damage, or visible irritation is not considered normal. If grooming seems persistent, focused on specific areas, or is changing over time, it is worth further investigation. Hair loss in cats does not always look dramatic.

Signs can include:

• Thinning hair or visibly reduced coat density
• Bald patches or patchy areas of alopecia
• Short, broken or barbered hairs
• Excessive grooming, licking or chewing
• Hair loss over the belly, inner thighs, flanks or forelimbs
• Small scabs, crusts or skin lesions
• Red, inflamed, ulcerated or irritated skin
• Coat change associated with recurrent flare-ups

Some cats show obvious overgrooming, while others are rarely seen grooming and present only with coat loss. Signs may also vary over time.

Where hair loss is associated with skin lesions, scabs, redness, recurrent ear or skin problems, or a seasonal pattern, an underlying medical cause is more likely. In contrast, behavioural overgrooming may be considered where grooming appears linked to environmental or behavioural triggers, and medical causes have been appropriately investigated.

In many cats, overgrooming is driven by underlying itch or skin irritation. If itching, scratching or skin discomfort is your main concern, you can learn more about itching and scratching in cats →

Why Does It Keep Coming Back?

In many cases, hair loss becomes a recurring pattern because the underlying cause has not yet been fully identified or controlled. Allergies, parasites and other skin conditions can trigger grooming, licking and self trauma, which damage the skin barrier and allow inflammation or secondary infection to develop.

This can lead to:

• Repeated flare-ups
• Ongoing coat loss
• Only short-term or partial response to treatment
• A cycle of regrowth followed by further hair loss

Without identifying and managing the primary cause, coat loss often continues or returns, particularly where an underlying medical condition has been mistaken for a behavioural issue.

When Should You Seek Help?

If your cat is showing these signs, the first step is to consult your primary care veterinarian, who can assess your cat and begin initial treatment.

Further investigation or referral may be recommended if your cat:

• Has persistent or worsening hair loss

• Has bald patches, thinning fur or a poor-quality coat

• Appears to be overgrooming, licking or chewing excessively

• Has scabs, crusting, sores or inflamed skin

• Has recurrent ear or skin problems

• Is not improving with routine or first-line treatment

• Has signs that are being assumed to be behavioural without a clear medical work-up

In these cases, specialist dermatology assessment starting with a dermatology consultation can help identify the underlying cause and guide more effective, long-term management.

Early assessment can help distinguish between medical and behavioural causes, prevent progression, and reduce long-term discomfort.

Frequently Asked Questions