Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Kittens losing face hair from mother cat's abnormal licking behavior
By Fanton, N et al.·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2015·Clinica Veterinaria San Siro, Italy·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Alopecia in four kittens caused by abnormal maternal licking behaviour.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Four 2-month-old kittens were brought in because they had patches of hair missing from their faces. Their mother cat, who was 2 years old, was not affected. After checking for infections and other causes, it was discovered that the mother was excessively grooming and chewing the kittens' fur, leading to their hair loss. Once the kittens were separated from her, their fur started to grow back within a few weeks.
People also search for: why is my kitten losing hair · cat alopecia treatment · abnormal grooming behavior in cats
Abstract
CASE REPORT: Abnormal maternal behaviour has been reported in cats, but is generally not included among the causes of alopecia in kittens. A litter of four kittens, 2 months old, was referred for evaluation of facial alopecia of differing severity. The 2-year-old queen was unaffected. Dermatological examination of the kittens did not find any infectious cause. Trichograms showed broken hair shafts with longitudinal splitting. Congenital alopecia was unlikely based on the clinical presentation. A behavioural consultation revealed abnormal grooming behaviour by the mother, who chewed and removed the hair from the kittens. The kittens were separated from the queen and alopecia resolved within a few weeks. CONCLUSION: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of alopecia caused by abnormal maternal licking behaviour. Abnormal maternal behaviour should be considered in cases of alopecia affecting a litter of kittens, when infectious and congenital causes have been ruled out.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26503537/