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Alopecia in four kittens caused by abnormal maternal licking behaviour
N Fanton1, M Michelazzi2, L Cornegliani2
1Clinica Veterinaria San Siro, via Lampugnano 99, 20151, Milano, Italy. nati83@libero.it.
Australian Veterinary Journal
|October 28, 2015
Summary
Abnormal maternal behavior in cats can cause kittens to lose hair. This case report highlights that unusual grooming by the mother cat, leading to alopecia in kittens, should be considered when other causes are ruled out.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Dermatology
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Alopecia in kittens can have various causes, including infectious and congenital factors.
- Abnormal maternal behavior, while reported in cats, is not typically associated with kitten alopecia.
Observation:
- A litter of four 2-month-old kittens presented with facial alopecia of varying severity.
- Dermatological examination ruled out infectious causes, and trichograms revealed broken hair shafts.
- Congenital alopecia was deemed unlikely based on the clinical presentation.
Findings:
- Behavioral consultation identified abnormal grooming by the mother cat, characterized by hair chewing and removal from the kittens.
- Separation of the kittens from the queen resulted in the resolution of alopecia within weeks.
Implications:
- This is the first reported case of alopecia in kittens directly caused by abnormal maternal grooming behavior.
- Abnormal maternal behavior should be considered a differential diagnosis for litter-wide alopecia in kittens after excluding infectious and congenital etiologies.
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