My cat is losing a lot of fur: normal shedding, bald patches and when to worry
If you live with a cat, you live with their fur, and in spring and autumn it can look as if they are going bald. It is almost always a normal moult. But there are clear differences between fur that falls out and fur the cat pulls out, and between a moult and a bald patch, which are worth knowing.
Normal moulting
A cat's coat grows in cycles and is constantly renewed. In cats that live outdoors, moulting is concentrated in two seasons: spring, when they shed their dense winter coat, and autumn, when they renew it for the cold. These cycles are regulated mainly by light and temperature. In indoor cats, with central heating and artificial light, the signals blur and many shed more or less continuously all year, with a peak in spring. In a normal moult, the fur falls out evenly, without bald patches, the skin underneath is healthy, the cat is not scratching more than usual and the coat still feels dense.
How much fur is normal
It depends enormously on the type of coat. Semi-longhaired or longhaired cats with a lot of undercoat, such as the Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest Cat, Siberian or Persian, shed a huge amount when moulting, as does the British Shorthair with its very dense coat. Fine, short-coated cats with hardly any undercoat, such as the Siamese or Oriental, shed much less. Rex breeds have little fur and hairless ones, such as the Sphynx, almost none, although they need baths because of the oil on their skin. No cat is truly "hypoallergenic": the main allergen is in saliva and skin, not in the fur, although some cats produce less.
Fur that falls out or fur that is pulled out
This is the key question. If the fur falls out by itself and you see it on the sofa and your clothes, it is moulting. If, on the other hand, areas of very short, rough or thin fur appear, especially on the belly, inner thighs, flanks or legs, it is very likely the cat is pulling it out by licking, even if you never see them do it, because many do it in secret. If you feel the fur in that area, the hairs are broken, as if cut, rather than shed. The vet confirms it in seconds by looking at a few hairs under the microscope. And if they are pulling it out, the cause is almost always itching or pain, not moulting.
Causes of bald patches that are not moulting
Overgrooming because of itching (fleas, food or environmental allergy, mites) is the most common cause of bald patches in cats. Ringworm, a fungal infection, causes round bald patches with scaling or scabs, often on the head, ears and legs, and it spreads to people and other animals. Licking because of pain, for example on the belly with cystitis or over an arthritic joint, also leaves the area bare. Stress can cause overgrooming, but only once medical causes have been ruled out. And there are less common causes, such as some hormonal diseases or some tumours, which in older cats can cause hair loss with fragile or shiny skin.
What is normal but alarming
Some things look odd but are not. The area between the eye and the ear, at the temple, has little fur in many cats, especially dark shorthaired ones: that is normal. After surgery, shaved fur can take months to grow back, and sometimes it comes back a different colour, darker in Siamese and other colourpoint breeds, because their pigment depends on skin temperature. After a major illness, giving birth or intense stress, some cats lose a lot of fur all at once a few weeks later, telogen effluvium, which resolves on its own. And older cats may have a finer, scruffier coat because they groom less.
When to see the vet
See the vet if bald patches, scabs, sores, scaling or redness appear, if the cat scratches or licks much more than usual, if the coat looks dull, greasy, matted or unkempt, if they have stopped grooming, if there are round bald patches, especially in a kitten or if someone at home has round skin lesions, or if the hair loss comes with other symptoms, such as weight loss, drinking more or being flat. A cat that stops grooming is usually in pain, for example from arthritis or a dental problem, or unwell, and that deserves a check-up.
How to help with moulting
Brush more often during moulting seasons: on short coats, a rubber mitt or a fine slicker brush once or twice a week, and daily at the peak; on long coats, a little every day with a metal comb and a brush, to prevent mats. Every hair you remove is a hair that is not swallowed or left on your sofa, and it reduces hairballs. De-shedding tools remove a lot of undercoat, but used too much they can irritate the skin: in moderation. A complete, balanced diet with good-quality protein and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids helps coat health; supplements only make sense if your vet thinks so.
If they have mats
In longhaired cats, mats appear mainly behind the ears, in the armpits, on the belly and the hindquarters. They hurt as they pull on the skin and underneath they can irritate or infect it. Do not cut them out with scissors, because cat skin is very thin and elastic and it is extremely easy to cut it: it is one of the most common injuries vets see. If they are small, tease them apart with your fingers and a comb, holding the fur at the base. If they are tight against the skin or there are many, it is best to have a cat groomer or the vet remove them with clippers, sometimes under sedation. Michipedia's grooming tool has guide prices for Spain.
What the vet will do
An examination of the skin and coat, and questions about when it started, whether they scratch or lick, whether other animals or people have lesions and what they eat. Combing for fleas, a trichogram to see whether the hairs are broken, skin scrapes and cytology, and fungal tests if there are round bald patches. If an internal cause is suspected, blood tests. And if they are licking because of itching, the vet will follow the usual order: fleas, infections, elimination diet and environmental allergy. As a guide, a consultation with basic tests comes to around 60 to 130 € in Spain in 2026.
A cat shedding a lot of fur in spring and autumn, or all year if they live indoors, is normal. Bald patches, broken hairs, scabs and overgrooming are not: they usually point to itching, pain or ringworm. Brush more during the moult, never cut mats with scissors and see the vet if there are bald patches.
Educational content from Michipedia, translated from the Spanish original. It does not replace the advice of a vet or a feline behaviour specialist. Every cat is an individual.