Excessive licking/grooming

[SuziR]

Hello everyone
I am new to the forum. I have joined to ask for some advice as I am wits end with my cat so I hope you can help.

My 12 year old cat Gea is constantly licking and grooming to the point where she makes herself so sore. It started a few years ago and it was just her tummy. She had numerous vet visits, injection, powder for her food but no solution was found. I changed vets last year and they suggested a new food, Hills D/D for skin allergies. This was fantastic and over time she stopped and the fur grew back. However in the last few months she has started over grooming again. She has no fur on her tail now and a patch missing from her side. Another vet visit resulted in two injections but still no improvement. The vet has no idea what to try next. I have just seen that she has now licked her front leg red raw and there are three really sore patches on it.

She doesn't appear stressed, there is no noise or upset in the house but she can be a bit nervous sometimes. She goes out but doesn't stray very far from the garden area. When she is in the house in the evening she can appear restless so doesn't settle down unless it's to lick.

We just don't know what to do next for her. Any advice would be so appreciated. Thank you.

[Grace56]

Hi Suz and welcome.
I don't know what to suggest myself, but I found this site for you. I hope it helps Gea and you.

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/he ... oming.aspx#!

Good luck and gentle fusses to Gea.

Grace

[SuziR]

Thank you for the link Grace. Some things on there make sense. The behaviour sounds like it's due to anxiety rather the pain.

[catslave16]

I had a little tortie who licked herself bare in spots, and then the skin would become red and raw. The vet put her on hormone replacement therapy (didn't know that existed for cats) but the problem really only solved itself when I moved away. At the original flat we lived in we had two un- neutered toms as neighbours, and they would come in through the cat flap and eat Pussy's food. So I reckon the problem was due to stress. Could that be a factor in your case?

[SuziR]

Hi catslave.
I think stress could be a factor. The neighbours cat is always coming in our garden. Gea sees her off and comes across as the boss but this other cat is so much bigger and so brazen. There are a couple of new cats around as well.

This morning she has licked the fur from above her eye now. Going to try Feliway and get her a nice new bed.

[issiandarchie+68]

Hi SuziR, my wee silver and white female cat Cody, the friendliest most laid back cat ever, used to lick her tum until bald and raw. She was a 'fussy' eater in that she would only take a bite or two of the food the other two cats dined on, Felix etc. her bowl never emptied. Tried everything including steroid tablets which we couldn't get her to swallow. Eventually, Vet gave her a steroid/antibiotic injection which lasted 4/6 weeks and did the trick. He came to the conclusion it wasn't the meat content of commercial cat foods causing Cody's problem,but the differing qualities of the binders used. After much trial and error, she settled on Morrison's and Asda own brand wet food and Purina dry chicken and rice Sensitive. No more problems. A friend with eczema tells me her skin itches all over deep down, as if an electric shock is passing through her nerve endings, makes her want to tear at her skin and she can't settle, walks around the house shaking her arms and legs to try and get some relief. Maybe that is what your wee pet is feeling, hence the licking until bald. By the way, over the years I tried Feliway, very expensive, cats flipped, became very bad tempered,like having an extra cat in the house that they couldn't find.

Issi

[Mrs Kane]

I think that Jan would be a great source of help on this issue because of her Blackie.