Cat Hair Loss

[SamIAm3166]

Hey guys! Two years ago our dog passed away. We have two cats and figured it was time to get a new pup for the family . Our cats had been around dogs their entire lives so we didn't think much of it.

But my male cat, Li Shou is starting to worry me. When the puppy first came into the house Li Shou was vomiting a lot. I figured it was stress, and eventually that went away. But now he's losing the hair on his back legs and under his tail... Is it likely that this is still him stressing because of the dog? I would hate to have to re-home the puppy, but frankly the cats were here first and are very well loved by my kids... I don't want them to get sick or waste away. Not sure how to handle this. Do you guys have any experience with a cat behaving this way with a new addition?

 

[Mamanyt1953]

How long has the pup been there now? And what process did you use to introduce them? It may be stress, and there are ways to help with that, but I'd also have Li Shou checked by the vet, just to rule out some physical problem that might be further aggravated by stress.

Take a look at these articles. They are easy reads, and have a LOT of information about de-stressing your cat!

How To Safely Introduce A Cat And A Dog
Is Your Cat Stressed Out?
Potential Stressors In Cats - The Ultimate Checklist
Six Surefire Strategies To Reduce Stress In Cats

 

[SamIAm3166]

The puppy has been with us a little over a month now. Not too long. Same intoduction process we used before. The cats have the entire upstairs to themselves, should they not want to be around the puppy. They've also got several high perches to hang out on. He looks like he's on high alert a lot now, when he's usually a pretty cool cat. He's only really himself at night when we crate the puppy so he doesn't hurt himself. I suppose a vet appt is warranted. I feel a bit guilty. They've always done so well, even with family members dogs. But even my female cat avoids downstairs like the plague and she never did before.

 

[danteshuman]

Have they ever dealt with a puppy before? Puppies have high energy levels. Training your puppy to better behave will help your cats calm down. Also your cats should not have to abandon half of the house because of the puppy. Why not give them lots of cat trees and cat shelves in the family room, so they can be with their people and out of the reach of the puppy? Obedience training your puppy to stay in their bed until given the OK, will help your cats feel more at ease .... and your guests. I love dogs but hate being around poorly trained dogs that jump all over me or try to steal food off my plate. Of course I'm a strict meanie who believes in crate training (I'm strict with my cats to.)

I hope your cat feels better soon, so he will stop over grooming.

Cat vs. Dog | Watch Full Episodes & More! - Animal Planet

 

[ArtNJ]

Why Is My Cat Losing Hair?

There are a lot of possible causes, its one of those things that you need an actual vet for rather than internet wisdom. Stress *is* one possible cause, but I don't think it would be safe to just assume it is that, especially since you have the upstairs as a puppy free zone and they have past experience with dogs.

 

[verna davies]

In my previous home there was a nasty tom cat that used to terrorize my cat. Three months after the tom cat died of natural causes my cat started to lose fur from his rear end, tail and his back. My vet put it down to stress, gave him a steriod injection and within a few weeks his fur started to grow back and he was fine after that. As other posters have said a puppy is full of energy and actions can be a little unpredictable so your cat could well be stressed. I would have him checked by your vet to put your mind at rest.