It really should be taken to a vet. It's almost certainly a raccoon, although it could be a coatimundi. It is eating normally, and appears to be healthy outside of the hair loss, so it might just have an relatively harmless endocrine problem. Whatever these backwoods hillbillies do, they shouldn't keep it trapped in a tiny cage outdoors feeding it cat food. I'm guessing they're trying to figure out a way to make money off of it.

I have no idea how that "expert" came to the conclusion it was a mangy canine. It clearly has little raccoon hands.

I was thinking Coatimundi too, but even south texas is a little north for the guys. Unless someone lost their pet.. it's not that interesting but I was on a date and a Ferret walks right into the bar (at first I thought she was kicking my foot but nope. Ferret.) Then everyone was like "oh that's a weasel/possum/squirrel" and I was like "nope! This has to be someone's Ferret." Anyway, I spent the rest of the night trying to continue the date with a ferret in my coat, worried that he'd run outside and get attacked by a stray cat or dog.. gave him full run of my room for the night (which made it smell like ferret) and found the owners the next morning, who gave me .

But that ferret totally cockblocked me that night.