Molly pulling her fur out

[Mollysmummy]

Hi all, not posted in a while. Just wanted to air a concern I have.....our girl Molly (otherwise fit and healthy) grooms herself just like any other cat, but when it comes to her back (only ever her back) she yanks tufts of fur out. It seems to be in the same areas all the time and to be honest I'm surprised she doesn't have bald patches yet.

Vet says there's nothing physically wrong with her, and she's flead and wormed. But we know it's an ongoing issue as she will often walk into the room with a big tuft of fur hanging out of her mouth and obviously she does it in front of us too.

I just find it weird that it's only ever on her back, what could we be missing? She doesn't really like to be handled so it's difficult to look at her skin but the vet didn't seem to think there was a problem. My worry is that's she's in pain and it hasn't been picked up

[Crewella]

Poor Molly, it must be a worry. I'm afraid I've not experienced this myself, but have seen several posts on here discussing similar issues where the over-grooming was said to be caused by stress. Does that sound likely in Molly's case?

[Jan]

I sympathise - we've been struggling with this problem for months now with our cat (Blackie). He has taken off his belly fur and bits a bit further up underneat as well as at the top of his left hind leg. Knowing his nature and character as well as the vet does, she believes the fur mowing is stress related. The problem has been and still is to find out what is stressing him. We've tried Zyklene and Feliway/Pet Remedy but none of them seem to work.

Like your vet, ours doesn't seem overly concerned about it. She gave us a cortisone spray to put on his bare skin 1 x day a few months ago for long-term use but it hasn't stopped the problem

She doesn't think he's in any pain and her only concern is if he breaks the skin which may could lead to an infection.

Sorry I can't be of more help ....if I could find the answer I'd be shouting it from the rooftops

[Lilith]

Hi Mollysmummy and sorry to hear.

I had a girl who did this, on her back too, but she left bare patches. She was a Siamese breeding queen and it was suggested that the trouble might be hormonal; she was spayed after a wonky pregnancy; didn't want to put her through that again, and indeed the fur grew back after that, no more problems. But your Molly's spayed already.

However, my Molly, who's spayed too, a couple of years back, plucked fur from the inside of her front legs, a symmetrical patch on each leg, and mercifully never left bald patches; I kept an eye on her, as you may imagine, but it never got worse and fortunately cleared up by itself.

Wish I could help more and do hope you find a curable cause or the problem recedes, as my Molly's did.

I don't think that cats who do this are in pain.

Purrs to your Molly and Mouse from my Molly and Mouse, and Emily too x

[Mollysmummy]

Thanks all! It quite possibly is stress/anxiety as she's quite highly strung bless her! She's a million times more relaxed than she was when we got her but maybe it's just a leftover behaviour (she was a rescue taken from an overcrowded flat). So I guess if she's not leaving big patches and breaking the skin we shouldn't be too concerned, but if we can calm her it may help.

Kevin (mouse) is the troublesome one today! Last 2 mornings we've got up to regurgitated food downstairs, I've not been down yet but hubby didn't sound too happy this morning! It's not proper sick, just regurgitation but he does most of his eating at night, sounds like we may have to cut back!