My boyfriend’s cat has bare spots on her backside, near her tail. Yes, he plans to get her to a vet after he gets a carrier and can get her in it. She has been sitting in the bathroom a lot, instead of her usual perch in her box. Just would want to get an idea of what to expect.
Possibly stress related over-grooming. Has the cat had any changes lately? Moved house? New neighbour cat?
P.S. Get a carrier. Don’t show the cat the carrier. Make sure the carrier is open and won’t close accidentally. Place the cat in bum first (assuming a front opening carrier).
The vet or local animal shelters may have carriers you can borrow. Pretty much any shelter that has cats will have cardboard carrier for sending newly-adopted cats home and that will work for one vet visit for the vast majority of cats. Also try low-cost spay/neuter services and see if they can give you a loaner. They’re used to people not being able to just go out and buy new pet equipment and seeing cats in improvised setups like laundry baskets with boards bungee-corded over the top or garbage cans with holes poked in them for air or just regular backpacks. You wouldn’t believe some of the contraptions I’ve seen.
I would guess overgrooming as well, but the cause of that is “stress” which is super broad. It could mean anything from “upset because you rearranged the living room furniture and she doesn’t like it” to “is in intense pain or discomfort due to a pressing physical issue.” and of course the physical issue could be anything from a UTI to a food allergy to a toothache to diabetes or cancer.
Is she eating and using the litterbox normally? Is there any particular spot that she doesn’t seem to like it when you touch? How old is she? Is she spayed?
She is spayed, indoor cat. Nothing’s changed. She has meowed at us more lately, and staying on bathroom floor instead of box. I think I should check the box, maybe the contents have changed,(he keeps old envelopes there
Having had many cats through the years, I would recommend a hard sided, top opening carrier. (if you intend to buy one) It is so much easier to get the cat into it. Don’t make the common error of getting one too large, the cat will feel more secure in one that is a cozy place. They come in several sizes. Sorry I have no ideas regarding the hair loss.
I have seen more than one cat claw their way out of those things. Get a proper carrier, not one made out of cardboard.
If you’ve got a cat, you ought to have a carrier. You might need one suddenly, in case of emergency. It might be possible to get a used one – wash it out well before using, including rinse it out really well after washing.
The bathroom floor may be cooler than her box – she might have a fever. But there are a lot of things that could be going on.
He has closed the lid on her box. It was full of old mail, and he closed it. I’m hoping he lets me open it. It seems lonely in the bathroom. She seems ok, eating, coming up to us. He’s had her 5 years, he’s in a wheelchair, he doesn’t interact with play, I know cats need their hunting exercise, he has a laser and a toy mouse.
Try another box, if that one shouldn’t have a cat in it.
Have you recently started using a deodorant in the litter box? I had one cat that was grooming the fur off his butt, and it turned out he was allergic to the deodorant powder I had started using. Stopped that, and the situation improved immediately.
No vet trip, but he noticed she had started overgrooming when his dad bought different cat food. He got a different brand and she seems to be improving.
Glad that’s working!
– if it recurs, try switching cat food brands and/or flavors again. I used to have a cat with significant skin problems which we eventually figured out were due to food allergies – the reason it took so long to figure out was that he was apparently allergic to some ingredient which was only sometimes included in the foods in question (their exact mix, and the sources of it, probably depend on what’s cheapest at the moment; and some of the ingredient terms are vague enough to cover sources from multiple species.) I eventually found a couple of brands that apparently never included whatever it was.
He finally got her on her original brand. His dad brought a carrier, but it’s cloth and the only way I’d be able to get her in it would be to put it over her like net then flip her into it. And even then, she’d slide around as I walked. He’s had her five years and never took her to the vet.
He’s finally going to take her to vet next week. She’s mostly bald on back rear and legs.
Eek! A cloth carrier might work for a rare super relaxed cat, but you should encourage your boyfriend to get something like this:
Glad you’re getting her to the vet.
A lot of things can cause hair loss in cats, including parasites, allergies, and hyperthyroidism. Please let us know what diagnosis the vet comes up with.
Will do. I was worried that could be called neglect, as he says he can’t get her in a carrier himself, so I’m glad I’m around.
Since I am no longer around him, I called the Humane society. They said they’d try to visit, but he sleeps a lot and may not let them in. She’s suffered long enough. I will check up with them tomorrow.
They are coming tomorrow. I will let them in the building. What if he doesn’t let them in?
I don’t quite understand what’s going on here. He’s your boyfriend. Does he not listen to you at all? Have you told him the Humane Society is coming? What does he say?
We broke up last week. Once I became his paid home aide, he got verbally abusive and accused me of stealing. He accuses all his aides of that. I was able to pick her up and could’ve got her into a carrier, but he kept not making the appointment, not asking his dad to drive us to the vet. She’s mostly bald on her bottom half and has been for a while. She also has scabs on her neck and body She needs help and I can’t let her go neglected.