Folliculitis is bacterial infection that affects the hair follicles. Because the hair within the follicle suffers from the infection, the coats of cats with folliculitis often develop a moth-eaten appearance as the damaged hair falls out.
In addition, as the inflammation progresses, pustules and small crusty lesions often form over the hair follicles. The amount of itching seen with folliculitis can range from mild to severe.
One special type of folliculitis, called bacterial hypersensitivity, is a type of allergic reaction to the bacteria residing on the skin.