for tabby owners

Bailey is a 2 1/2 year-old tabby. When we got her from the shelter 3 months ago I noticed that there was thinning of the hair in the two areas in front of her ears. As I looked at pictures of other tabbys I decided that this was normal. However, as time goes on she is losing more hair in those areas and the thin area is encroaching almost to the top of her eyes. I can see brown and white skin clearly where there used to be hair covering it.

She eats well, appears very healthy, and doesn't seem bothered by this phenomenon. There is no obvious excess scratching of that area.

Anyone have any ideas?

I have had several tabbies that had thinner hair in front of their ears. It happened as they got a little older. My poor old Fred, 14 years old, has almost no hair there now.

I would take kitty to the vet just to be safe.

Both Zoey and ChiChi have less hair above the eyes, straight to their ears. I thought this was normal for cats.

Bogie has always had a thin amount of hair above his eyes. I've seen the same thing in other tabbies as well.

I have had many cats, of all colors (all white, all black...etc) that have this pattern of thinning hair. I think it is normal,

I just took Twig, our Tabby to the vet last week and he is healthy and has that thinning hair from his ears to his eyes. I was actually wondering about it myself,but the vet told me it was normal for him to have this though so I am not worried anymore.

Sam is like this too, and its particularly noticeable because he is a grey cat, but the skin showing through is pink. Its just a lot more noticeable in the summer when he has lost his thick winter coat.

Thank you all for your posts. Now I feel better about the thinning hair, but may take her to the vet just to be sure.