# Hair loss/bumps on skin



## ewhitney (Oct 18, 2005)

I have a 2 year old cat who is losing hair around his tail. He isn't completely hairless, but the hair near his tail is short and bristly. In addition, he also has small bumps on his back that I can feel under his fur (I can't see them because his fur is so long). He has never had any health/behavioral problems, and he is kept indoors at all times. I've checked the other cats, and they all seem to be fine, no fleas or skin problems. Could this be a food allergy? Has anyone had experience with this?

Thanks!


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

There's a condition called "stud tail" which is the first thing that came to mind. You might research that on the internet and see if that sounds like what you're dealing with.


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## Tagster (Oct 19, 2005)

I hope that I'm wrong, but when I adopted my kitten he had hairloss and bumps (almost like flea bites) and it was ringworm. I would keep him away from the others until it is diagnosed!


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## Ioana (Jul 12, 2003)

My first thought was also ringworm. I have had 3 kittens at my house - that I have been fostering and all had ringworm. It goes away in 6 weeks - with or without medicine. 
Feel of the bumps on the back and see if they come off when you gently pull them - a layer of clear skin should remain underneath - the hair will grow back. I am not going to get into detials because that might not be it.
Ringworm is not a worm but a fungus - so check also for scaling of the skin where the bumps are.
I have never heard of stud tail, like Tim suggested. So it could be a combination of both or something else.
A vet check will bring the truth to the surface.
Let us know how your kitty is doing.


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## TxnKats (Jun 9, 2005)

I don't think that's stud tail as Tim suggested. Having dealt with stud tail for two of my boys and having many breeder friends, I know a little about it. Stud tail is where the base of the tail get REALLY oily. But the fur stays it's normal length, just gets really oily, etc. And if not cleaned the oil spreads.

As to what you're talking about, it might be ringworm, but might not. With my Nola and Belle on certain foods they'd get spots of thinned/short/bristly fur. Never bald, but thinned, etc. It wasn't ringworm (tested repeatedly), now they have their full fur...


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## ewhitney (Oct 18, 2005)

I really appreciate everybody's input on this problem! 

The only condition I feel comfortable ruling out is ringworm...he lives with eight other cats (all indoors) and I know from experience how contagious that is! No one else has any skin issues, and I don't see any way he could have been the only one exposed to the fungus that causes ringworm.

For the most part, it seems like he is adding to the problem by cleaning his back incessantly. If there were a "Grooming Olympics", he'd take the gold! My next mission is to find out if the problem would go away if he left it alone for awhile. This might be like hot spots in dogs; the condition can be cleared up if you keep them from licking the area. I don't know...I'm kind of at a loss here.

My one hope is that this isn't a food allergy. He's been eating the same kind of food since he went off kitten food and he's never had a problem. Can food allergies manifest as skin problems?

Once again, I really appreciate everyone's help. I am a longtime cat owner, but I've never seen anything quite like this!

Emily


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## Lisa 216 (Oct 25, 2004)

ewhitney said:


> ICan food allergies manifest as skin problems?


Absolutely! Many people on this board have reported having cats with skin problems that turned out to be diet-related . It could be the grains in the food -- corn is one that comes to mind as problematic.

I would have the cat checked by a vet first. If that doesn't turn up anything, then look at the food.

By the way, what are you feeding?


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## ewhitney (Oct 18, 2005)

I feed them Purina One, a mixture of their weight-management and urinary tract health formulas (because seven of them are male and 6 out of the nine are over 15 pounds!).

I am really hoping that I don't have to change their food...we all know what happens when you do that. Upset tummies galore. Times nine!

I'm going to try to get him to the vet sometime in the next week. I'm still a little shellshocked from my last visit (very simple eye infection diagnosis for nearly $75!)

Take care!


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## Ioana (Jul 12, 2003)

As for food allergies, I have developped an allergy to something I used to always love : black cherry home made jelly.
After having had taken lots of meds some time during childhood, my chemical structure changed and I could no longer eat what I loved without breaking up. So it is possible that your kitty has developped a food allergy to what he has been eating all along.
I used to feed my kitties Purina one, now they eat Purina Chow. It is good to change. 
As for ringworm, it is itchy so it could be that he is trying to scratch either that or the allergy break out.
It would be neat if you could put an elisabethan colar on him so that the infection doesn't spread to the face - in case it is ringworm.
Either way - don't despair. I have had in the past months three kittens at my house with ringworm, besides my own three cats that have remained free from the fungus.
It is true thast it is highly contagious but if you follow some strict simple steps it will go away. 
Let me know if you need more info on that.
I am on the run right now.


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