Expert: Jessica - 7/27/2010

Question
I have a female cat that had beautiful, full, colorful, long hair but since she's had her babies 4 months ago, her hair is now dull and blah looking, plus i've noticed she's missing a few patches of hair on the back of her ears. What could be the cause?

Answer
Hi Nancy,

Cats can suffer some nutritional loss from nursing their babies that can result in dull fur.  It's recommended to feed cats kitten food, which is higher in fat, protein and calories, during pregnancy and nursing, and for a few months after, until they've regained all their weight to make up for nutrition they're losing in the breast milk.  If she seems like she's a little underweight, it's okay to feed her kitten food until she feels nice and solid.  The extra protein in kitten food may help her fur to gloss up.

But since she's losing patches of fur behind her ears, I'd strongly recommend a vet visit.  There are medical reasons for fur loss, and the causes are vast.  She may have ear mites, ringworm, a B-12 deficiency, overactive thyroid (especially if she's an older cat), allergies, a malabsorption problem like pancreatic insufficiency, an autoimmune disease or mites.  If the vet finds that none of these problems are present, I would recommend that you supplement her diet with an Omega-3 Fatty acid supplement such as Dermaquin for cats, and also try to brush her frequently with a slicker brush.  Brushing will stimulate the skin and also will distribute the skin's natural oils throughout the fur to keep a healthy gloss on it.

Good luck!

Jessica