not a bulldog thing (but still an important question)

[DaBabaDoo]

I know some of you have cats at home, so I'm just wondering if someone out there might be able to offer some suggestions/advice.  I rescued my cat, Mirah, about 8-9 months ago and I've had this ongoing "complication" which I can't figure out what is causing it.  

She was abandoned and I took her in.  About 2-3 months after I took her in she started losing her fur.  It started on her belly, around the area where they shaved her for spay.  We took her in to the vet and found fleas and it was determined that she has a flea allergy which causes her to lick at the itchy spots so much so that she actually causes the hair follicles to break off.  Since I keep her as an indoor-only cat I hadn't done Frontline to that point, but since we found that out we put her on the Frontline and de-flea-ed the house.  It took a while but the hair loss finally seemed to taper off.  But what has me worried is that it's been months now and she doesn't seem to be growing any fur back.

She is bald around her belly and sides with fur covering her face, neck, and chest, and a saddle of fur on her back.  Her limbs and tail have fur except some spots of bald on the legs and on the base of her tail.  She lost the bulk of her fur around the fall months, Halloween time.  By Thanksgiving I thought we had seen the end.  Now here it is, almost March, and she is still bald.  She doesn't seem to be bothered by it or anything, and other than the baldness my vet has not determined anything medically wrong with her, but it seems like it shouldn't take this long to grow back in.  Any thoughts as to why?  Also, does anyone know of any good forums for cat owners that I could check into?

She'll be due for her annual exam in a few months, since she doesn't seem to have any complications in addition to or because of the hair loss I was thinking I would just hold off till then and ask the vet.  I don't know if that's a good idea or not.  Any advice is much appreciated.

[Jerr_N_Tiff]

this seemed pretty informative

http://www.manhattancats.com/Articles/hair_loss_in_cats.html

[DaBabaDoo]

Thanks JerrnTiff, that really is helpful.  I didn't realize all the different possible causes out there.  I don't think she has fleas any more because she's been on steady frontline since the last vet check, but maybe it's time to call my vet back and discuss other possibilities, a skin scraping for mites or a change in her diet.

That was a great help, thank you for the response.

[winwinsmom]

First of all bless you for taking in Mirah!  I am a kitty owner (my oldest just turned 20) and have been for many many years (and volunteer for a rescue organization).  I personally have never had this issue but have heard and seen others with "flea" allergies.  I haven't read Jerr n Tiff's link yet but I am sure it is informative.  They are both so very helpful.  I will check it out too.
Again, thank you for taking in Mirah! 

[DaBabaDoo]

Thanks Winwinsmom, it was an easy decision, I saw Mirah and she just looked so helpless and scared, I knew I couldn't leave her.  She definitely had an owner before me because she was already spayed when I took her to the vet, and I'm almost positive she was not raised as an outdoor cat because she seems to have a complete lack of survival/hunting skills.  It took her a long time to learn how to trust us that we wouldn't abandon her like her last owners did, but when she decided to come out and sit on my lap for the first time it was the most rewarding feeling I have ever felt.

I just feel bad for her because she looks so silly right now with no hair on her belly, but she doesn't seem to be uncomfortable in any way so I don't want to drag her for another vet visit if I don't have to (Every time I put her in the crate she cries, I guess she thinks I might leave her at the vet office.)