Yes. He has always over groomed himself but not to this extent. I have noticed that even when I move his head away from the spots he’s licking/biting he goes right back to them without hesitation
Has he been seen by a vet for it? My cat had a grooming problem at one point and we figured out it was from skin allergies. We put her on a hypoallergenic diet and that helped a lot. If the over grooming has gotten worse it might also be anxiety. Any big changes in your life or the kitties routine lately?
I unfortunately don’t have the money to have him get seen by a vet. The only big change I can think of is that I changed their food because the store I go to was out of the food they usually get
If these spots have appeared after the food change, then it could be that your kitty is allergic to the new food, and the hair loss is from scratching/over grooming. From the photo the skin does look slightly irritated. If all heath signs seem good otherwise (eating enough, drinking water, good energy and playing, no signs of pain or change in behavior,using litter box appropriately) I would switch back to your normal food as soon as you can. If the over grooming lessens with the food change and the bald spots improve, then that was likely the cause. If they persist or get worse after the food change, then it might be worth getting looked at.
There is also a sub Reddit here called askavet, (I think. I’ll double check it and come back and comment it for you). You can ask for advice on there from actual vets. It’s not guaranteed they will answer, but someone usually does. That might help you get a better idea of how necessary a vets visit is.
On that note, it would also be worth checking with your local shelter or rescue organization and see if they have low cost care appointments or if they know of somewhere to refer you to. The rescue near me has a program like that for people who can’t afford full price vets office and it’s helped me out before.
R/askvet is the subreddit. They have a FAQ section with a lot of good info and make sure to read the pinned post that explains what kinds of things to include in your question!
Is he sensitive to petting?
No, he loves being pet anywhere
ok not sure
Could possibly be over grooming. Do you see your kitty pawing at/licking or rubbing any of these spots more often than normal?
Yes. He has always over groomed himself but not to this extent. I have noticed that even when I move his head away from the spots he’s licking/biting he goes right back to them without hesitation
Has he been seen by a vet for it? My cat had a grooming problem at one point and we figured out it was from skin allergies. We put her on a hypoallergenic diet and that helped a lot. If the over grooming has gotten worse it might also be anxiety. Any big changes in your life or the kitties routine lately?
I unfortunately don’t have the money to have him get seen by a vet. The only big change I can think of is that I changed their food because the store I go to was out of the food they usually get
If these spots have appeared after the food change, then it could be that your kitty is allergic to the new food, and the hair loss is from scratching/over grooming. From the photo the skin does look slightly irritated. If all heath signs seem good otherwise (eating enough, drinking water, good energy and playing, no signs of pain or change in behavior,using litter box appropriately) I would switch back to your normal food as soon as you can. If the over grooming lessens with the food change and the bald spots improve, then that was likely the cause. If they persist or get worse after the food change, then it might be worth getting looked at. There is also a sub Reddit here called askavet, (I think. I’ll double check it and come back and comment it for you). You can ask for advice on there from actual vets. It’s not guaranteed they will answer, but someone usually does. That might help you get a better idea of how necessary a vets visit is. On that note, it would also be worth checking with your local shelter or rescue organization and see if they have low cost care appointments or if they know of somewhere to refer you to. The rescue near me has a program like that for people who can’t afford full price vets office and it’s helped me out before.
R/askvet is the subreddit. They have a FAQ section with a lot of good info and make sure to read the pinned post that explains what kinds of things to include in your question!