Tip of cat's tail losing hair

[saren911]

Hi everyone, another problem I am having is the tip of my cat's tail is losing hair (or has lost hair), it is growing back slowly, but i would like to know if there is anything I can do to help her, I have put some coconut oil on it to help with the healing, but she just licks it off before the oil can absorb. At the moment, her tail end is bald.

[Ruth B]

I would suggest that this might be a symptom of the flea infestation you mention in another thread. If a cat's skin is irritated it can often groom itself bald trying to get rid of the itching.

I do feel in view of the multiple problems getting them to a vet for a full health check would be worthwhile even if it is a bit of a trip, hopefully once they had been seen, you could contact the vet for advice by phone rather than having to take them in everytime.

[lilynmitz]

It may also be a response to injury that has since healed up. My puss scratched her tummy a while ago scrambling up a post that had barbed wire on the side, and while the scratch healed up completely, she's still overgrooming her tummy. My old boy Mitz did the same too - with him it started with stress, but he just continued. I suspect the short stubbly fur as it's growing back feels odd to their tongue so they keep grooming it in the hope that it will eventually sort itself.

As with Mitz, it could also be a stress thing, so look at her world from her view point and see if anything might be bothering her, and deal with that issue as well.