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Cats/Female cat losing hair.

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Expert: - 3/6/2009


Question
Hi--

I have a 9/10 month female tortie who isn't spayed. She was found as a stray a few weeks old, but received her necessary shots at one month and was believed to have no health problems. A month later, I got a male cat who is about a month behind her in age. I just got him fixed two weeks ago, so I'm not sure if he may have or could have gotten her pregnant. She's very lanky and thin, but not in a sickly way--she's just always been really long and lean. Recently she's started losing a significant amount of hair on the space between the center of her back and the base of her tail. She doesn't act sickly whatsoever and eats a completely normal amount... in fact i do spoil them a little. Could this have anything to do with pregnancy or an actual sickness? Or is hair loss a normal issue that comes up with female cats that are sexually matured and aren't fixed?

Thanks so much!

Answer
Kristin,

I apologize for being late getting to this.  

In a neutered male it usually takes 5-6 weeks for all the hormones to dissipate.  So, he very well could have gotten her pregnant.  I have never heard of a pregnant female over grooming as you suggest.  However, when a male breeds a female, there is often hair loss at the should blades since this is where he grabs the female for breeding with his teeth.  I have seen males grab the female more towards the center of the back (especially if she is very long).

On the other hand, if your female does have some allergy issues they can be exacerbated by the hormonal activity that is taking place as a reaction to lots of females being in season and the fact that she may have been bred.

I would have her checked out by your vet to make sure there is no other skin problem going on.

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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