13 yr old biting out her fur

My Callie is 13 and recently began biting her fur out. She has 3 bald spots already and it's getting worse. Because of her age I don't want to traumatize her by putting her in the car to go to the vet unless I KNOW he has a solution for us. Thanks for your help.
   
GM

It will be more traumatic for her if you do NOT go to the vet.
   
Fur ripping is a sure sign of an underlying health problem.
   
It could be fleas, internal parasites or hot spots, to name a few.
   
Malnutrition and stress are also causes of fur ripping but if you have had the cat for 13 years and have not changed her food or her circumstances (you didn't move or get a new pet, did you?) then I would rule those two out as possible causes.
   
Once the cat is healthy again, the fur ripping will stop.
   
If you really don't want to take her to the vet, you could take a shot with some over-the-counter treatments for hot spots or fleas if you want to and see if she stops before taking her in.
   
But if this were my cat, I'd risk upsetting her and take her to the vet for a proper examination and diagnosis.
   
I know how hard it is to make your cat unhappy at her age, but it will be harder to take if you delay treatment and whatever she has worsens.
   
Good luck, hope there is a simple solution to this problem.