Cat fur question

Pumpkinseeds

I've noticed that the fur on Jazzy's sides has gotten very thin and course. It's a large area on exactly the same areas, around his rib cage from the shoulder down to his tummy. He's tabby and white and the affected areas are almost a kind of bleached grey and very course as well as much shorter.

He's still very active and he eats well. It doesn't seem to bother him and he hasn't been scratching it. The best way of describing it is like when a man gets a shorts sides longer on top haircut, if that makes sense? If I didn't know better I would think someone thinned his fur, but that's impossible, he wouldn't let anyone but us get that close.

I'm just wondering if anyone knows what it is. He's never had it before and if it's nothing serious I'd rather avoid putting him through the stress of a vet trip. Jazzy gets so stressed at being confined that he reverts to being feral out of fear and in order to avoid being put in his carrier. He has to be anaesthetised to be examined:(

Graces7

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

I've noticed that the fur on Jazzy's sides has gotten very thin and course. It's a large area on exactly the same areas, around his rib cage from the shoulder down to his tummy. He's tabby and white and the affected areas are almost a kind of bleached grey and very course as well as much shorter.

He's still very active and he eats well. It doesn't seem to bother him and he hasn't been scratching it. The best way of describing it is like when a man gets a shorts sides longer on top haircut, if that makes sense? If I didn't know better I would think someone thinned his fur, but that's impossible, he wouldn't let anyone but us get that close.

I'm just wondering if anyone knows what it is. He's never had it before and if it's nothing serious I'd rather avoid putting him through the stress of a vet trip. Jazzy gets so stressed at being confined that he reverts to being feral out of fear and in order to avoid being put in his carrier. He has to be anaesthetised to be examined:(

difficult one. can it be just seasonal, ie thinner for the summer...i have noticed that the texture of the coat of my feral has changed recently. thinner and harder. ferals even adopted ones are closer to wilder critters than we are used to. it has been a mild winter as far as temps are concerned so this would fit that pattern.

if he is eating etc and not scratching...

lolo62

Graces7 wrote: »

difficult one. can it be just seasonal, ie thinner for the summer...i have noticed that the texture of the coat of my feral has changed recently. thinner and harder. ferals even adopted ones are closer to wilder critters than we are used to. it has been a mild winter as far as temps are concerned so this would fit that pattern.

if he is eating etc and not scratching...

I second the above. Given he gets so stressed I would hold off for a little while. If he's a happy cat then he's not suffering.
The temperatures have just suddenly changed. my cat is shedding loads at the moment and has gone a little bald above her eyes. Vet told me once it's nothing to worry about as they get frustrated in heat and scratch more than usual.
Keep a close eye for any other symptoms but don't stress as you'll pass that on to the cat!

Graces7

lolo62 wrote: »

I second the above. Given he gete cs so stressed I would hold off for a little while. If he's a happy cat then he's not suffering.
The temperatures have just suddenly changed. my cat is shedding loads at the moment and has gone a little bald above her eyes. Vet told me once it's nothing to worry about as they get frustrated in heat and scratch more than usual.
Keep a close eye for any other symptoms but don't stress as you'll pass that on to the cat!

grand so! i was worried re mine a few weeks ago as i thought he must be sick. catching this one would take some doing so i sympathise with the op

but mine is eating when he deigns to come in.

Magenta

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

I've noticed that the fur on Jazzy's sides has gotten very thin and course. It's a large area on exactly the same areas, around his rib cage from the shoulder down to his tummy. He's tabby and white and the affected areas are almost a kind of bleached grey and very course as well as much shorter.

He's still very active and he eats well. It doesn't seem to bother him and he hasn't been scratching it. The best way of describing it is like when a man gets a shorts sides longer on top haircut, if that makes sense? If I didn't know better I would think someone thinned his fur, but that's impossible, he wouldn't let anyone but us get that close.

I'm just wondering if anyone knows what it is. He's never had it before and if it's nothing serious I'd rather avoid putting him through the stress of a vet trip. Jazzy gets so stressed at being confined that he reverts to being feral out of fear and in order to avoid being put in his carrier. He has to be anaesthetised to be examined:(

Bring him to the vet. Nobody here is qualified to give you a diagnosis. It could be mange or anything. I have cats 25 years and have never seen what you are describing.

lolo62

Magenta wrote: »

Bring him to the vet. Nobody here is qualified to give you a diagnosis. It could be mange or anything. I have cats 25 years and have never seen what you are describing.

Wouldn't mange be itchy though?

Graces7

lolo62 wrote: »

Wouldn't mange be itchy though?

yep and would be more than just thinning. ferals are different. i had never seen a cat like this either.

Pumpkinseeds

Thanks for the replies. He was a feral kitten but he's thoroughly domesticated now. He just reverts to feral behaviour when you try to put him in his cat crate. He panics when he feels confined, even something like discovering that the cat flap is locked and he can't get out is enough to panic him.

He's not itchy and his appetite is great. He's galloping around like a maniac, as usual. I'll keep an eye on him and get him to the vet if it looks like getting worse or if he seems uncomfortable/itchy in any way.

Graces7

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. He was a feral kitten but he's thoroughly domesticated now. He just reverts to feral behaviour when you try to put him in his cat crate. He panics when he feels confined, even something like discovering that the cat flap is locked and he can't get out is enough to panic him.

He's not itchy and his appetite is great. He's galloping around like a maniac, as usual. I'll keep an eye on him and get him to the vet if it looks like getting worse or if he seems uncomfortable/itchy in any way.

thanks and wise.

watching ferals i think the genetics change after a few generations. mine is so affectionate but i sense the difference beneath the surface. occasionally he will suddenly lash out with a savage claw. the time i tried shutting him in the utility when he was asleep he wrecked the place.

boomerang

Could easily be cat lice, pumpkinseeds. Or one of a number of different mites. Or generalised ringworm. Or flea allergy dermatitis. Or it may be hormonal. Or behavioural. There are five million reasons for alopecia in cats - could be any one of them! I don't think you'll find any of the replies here helpful... It's one for your vet.

Pumpkinseeds

boomerang wrote: »

Could easily be cat lice, pumpkinseeds. Or one of a number of different mites. Or generalised ringworm. Or flea allergy dermatitis. Or it may be hormonal. Or behavioural. There are five million reasons for alopecia in cats - could be any one of them! I don't think you'll find any of the replies here helpful... It's one for your vet.

you're probably right. Looking at it last night got me wondering if it's because he's squeezing through a narrow gap somewhere and it's rubbing his fur. They go out our back gate by going through the square opening above the latch and fur always builds up there. When I was clearing it off last night it occurred to me that it might be what's going on, since it's only on the same area of both sides.

The only other thing I can think of is that I've been using bio washing liquid in the washing machine to wash the throws from the sofas and that he might have a sensitivity to it. I'll keep an eye on him anyway and if it gets any worse we'll take him to the vet.

I've always worried big time about Jazzy needing any kind of long term medication or even having to be kept in the vets for a couple of days. He is an absolute cuddle monster, but he won't tolerate being handled for more than a few seconds, even getting the Advocate on him means being sneaky and carrying it around in my pocket waiting for him to get sleepy enough to sneak it on him.

Magenta

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

I'll keep an eye on him anyway and if it gets any worse we'll take him to the vet.

Can you not just bring him to a vet? He already has what sounds like quite strong symptoms. He could have anything wrong with him and you just sound like you're making one excuse after the next to not bring him. Cat rescues bring hard-to-handle cats to vets all the time. You are his owner and it is your responsibility to do what's best for him. Leaving a potential illness or infestation untreated is not what's best for him.

Pumpkinseeds

Magenta wrote: »

Can you not just bring him to a vet? He already has what sounds like quite strong symptoms. He could have anything wrong with him and you just sound like you're making one excuse after the next to not bring him. Cat rescues bring hard-to-handle cats to vets all the time. You are his owner and it is your responsibility to do what's best for him. Leaving a potential illness or infestation untreated is not what's best for him.

Excuse me, but I have never neglected any animal and frankly I find your comment insulting. My cat has some thinning hair on his sides that could be a result of anything. He shows no signs of parasites, itching or pain. He has a healthy appetite and is full of energy.

He has always needed to be anaesthetised in order to be examined by a vet and it's only a few months since he last had anaesthetic. There are always risks when anaesthetising animals and I'd rather not subject him to what might be a needless proceedure.

I would rather wait a while and see how he is first. If there were any symptoms of him being uncomfortable or in pain we would take him immediately.

Graces7

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

Excuse me, but I have never neglected any animal and frankly I find your comment insulting. My cat has some thinning hair on his sides that could be a result of anything. He shows no signs of parasites, itching or pain. He has a healthy appetite and is full of energy.

He has always needed to be anaesthetised in order to be examined by a vet and it's only a few months since he last had anaesthetic. There are always risks when anaesthetising animals and I'd rather not subject him to what might be a needless proceedure.

I would rather wait a while and see how he is first. If there were any symptoms of him being uncomfortable or in pain we would take him immediately.

with you on this because i know cats like this. many a time i have had to wait and watch and assess . have lived decades in remote areas too and have found alternative treatments great. you know when a vet visit has to be. had a pet lamb with bloat once and there was no way i could get him to the vet in time. googled and fed him ginger and some other herbs then ran him up and down the steep drive a few times..worked great. told a vet about it years later and he thought it was hilarious.

it is crystal clear how much you care.

lolo62

....jeez leave the poor woman alone. It gets my goat the level of condescension that goes on here when a cat owner, who clearly treasures their cat, is just looking for some general advice and reassurance.
I have often been in a similar situation, tormenting myself over something in case it might be serious and taking my cat to the vet 'just in case'. Have come home €65 poorer and none the wiser ad to what was up, vet telling me it 'might' be allergies or fright etc. the vet will administer anti biotics to cover himself when really the cat 'mightn't'have needed anything. These trips to the vet have never made any difference to the initial symptom.
If my cat is ill I take her to the vet, no questions asked. But I have learned that if she is eating, playing, not scratching and not displaying any other symptoms then I can hang on and assess. this is clearly the case for OP, who obviously wouldn't leave the cat without treatment if she thought it needed it.
It's a pity people can't be a little more supportive.

Graces7

lolo62 wrote: »

....jeez leave the poor woman alone. It gets my goat the level of condescension that goes on here when a cat owner, who clearly treasures their cat, is just looking for some general advice and reassurance.
I have often been in a similar situation, tormenting myself over something in case it might be serious and taking my cat to the vet 'just in case'. Have come home €65 poorer and none the wiser ad to what was up, vet telling me it 'might' be allergies or fright etc. the vet will administer anti biotics to cover himself when really the cat 'mightn't'have needed anything. These trips to the vet have never made any difference to the initial symptom.
If my cat is ill I take her to the vet, no questions asked. But I have learned that if she is eating, playing, not scratching and not displaying any other symptoms then I can hang on and assess. this is clearly the case for OP, who obviously wouldn't leave the cat without treatment if she thought it needed it.
It's a pity people can't be a little more supportive.

echo this. once drove a cat who was screaming and writhing in pain over 30 miles to the vet; was sure he had swallowed a wasp. by the time we got there, he was fine. got him checked etc. trainee tried to fob me off but i insisted on waiting.

we know when to act.

am like this with my own health too....waited nearly 24 hours after breaking my wrist.