Dr. Dan Christian specializes in small animal medicine, with special interests in behavior and nutrition. He has been instrumental in establishing animal behavior residencies for veterinarians at leading veterinary schools and developing innovative programs with veterinary organizations in the United States. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital Association, and the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association. During his professional career, Dr. Christian earned the American Association of Feline Practitioners Award. He has also appeared as a guest on television and radio pet health programs nationwide, and to has authored numerous articles for pet health magazines.

Q: I have a cat who is just about a year old. I noticed that she has a bald spot about the size of a 50-cent piece on the back of her right leg. There is no hair there at all; it is bald right to the skin. Her skin is not red or irritated, and doesn't seem to hurt her when you touch her there. Could this just be from shedding, or do you think it could be something behavioral?

A: When you notice an area of hair loss on your cat and it is clean, dry and not painful, it could be a couple of conditions. One is called miliary dermatitis. This condition is seen in cats who are fairly anxious, maybe a little on the timid side, and get stressed easily. These cats will begin licking an area, either in the inguinal area (between the back legs), inner thighs, or on a leg. Sometimes the excessive grooming or licking is also associated with scratching the neck area.

The other condition that may be causing the hair loss is ringworm. Ringworm is not really a worm, it's a fungus that affects the skin, just as in people. The fungus sets up in a circular pattern, and can be present on almost any part of the cat's body. We generally see it in younger cats, as it is closely linked to a developing immune system (just as we see it more often in human children). There are antifungal agents your veterinarian can prescribe to cure this condition. If you don't treat ringworm, it can quickly spread.

Patchy hair loss is never normal, so you should have your cat examined by your veterinarian to determine the exact cause and the proper treatment.