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to FF&F, Dee! How old is your cat and how long has this been going on?

Alopecia is the loss of hair or fur. By itself, it's not dangerous, although it may be a signal that internal organs are not working right - a condition that could be moderately to very dangerous.

Bald patches or "hot spots" (areas that are inflamed and red and that the cat may lick or scratch excessively) and hair that gets so thin you can see the skin underneath are all signs of a problem.

Hair loss happens for reasons as simple as a scar to more serious causes such as skin fungus, mites or fleas, or hormonal imbalances. Dermatitis is another word for inflamed skin, and many kinds of dermatitis result in hair loss, too. Stress can also cause hair loss. A stressed cat not only sheds more but a very anxious cat may actually tear out his own hair by excessive licking or chewing.

If the hair loss is someplace you see your cat licking, biting, or scratching regularly (leg, paw, or side), it could be a hot spot that is stress-induced or a reaction to bites from fleas or mites. Check your cat's coat for parasites. If it's a fleabite allergy, you must get rid of the fleas before the hair grows back. If the hair loss is in a hard-to-reach place (such as between the shoulder blades) or in many other places, it's probably not the cat doing it to himself. If the hair loss seems limited to one area of the body (on the legs from the paws up to the elbows - upper leg, but not at the shoulders), suspect a contact allergy or something similar. (Hair loss on the lower legs may be a reaction to new carpeting or even a new carpet freshener or shampoo.)

Have you been cutting corners on food costs by giving her an off-brand cat food or trying to go with table scraps only? Hair loss can be a sign of improper nutrition, so make sure your cat is getting the nutrients she needs.

Once your cat develops the habit of chewing, licking, or pulling out hair, it might be hard to break even after you cut down on stress. Do not scold or otherwise punish your cat when you see her working on a hot spot or pulling out fur. Scolding just adds more stress. Instead, try some behavior modification. Give her something else to do: engage her in active play, pet her - any substitute for happy and fun activities to redirect her attention and energy from the habit scratching or pulling at her fur.

A cat with hair loss plus other signs of disease - fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, vomiting - needs to be seen by a vet immediately. Certain kinds of alopecia are caused by parasites or fungus that can be passed to people (such as ringworm), so the sooner a cat with no other symptoms than hair loss is seen by the vet, the better.

Here are some links to just a few conditions and diseases that may cause alopecia:

Aging

Feline Allergies

Flea Allergy

Kidney Disease and Renal Failure

Miliary Dermatitis

Ringworm

Also, she needs to be spayed as soon as possible to prevent pregnancy and life-threatening illness and disease. Most vets today will spay a cat 6 to 14 weeks old or two pounds in weight - whichever comes first. Here's a list of benefits to the well-being and health of spaying your cat:

Spay and Neuter Health Benefits

Good luck and keep us posted on how she's doing!