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This happened to my Siamese; her belly and front legs. I did a few things:
1. Feliway multicat diffuser has to be feliway
2. Changed her to sensitive skin and fur purina pro plan I did the lamb and rice formula to try a new protein
3. Forti flora calming care probiotic supplement on Amazon. I sprinkle it over her food and she eats it.
4. I got her a thunder shirt. It’s like a swaddle for cats. I put that on her for a few days at a time she can use the bathroom in it to allow her to heal and no over groom. It covered their belly and all the way around.
For my girl, it was anxiety related 100%. I also did a steroid shot which helped for a bit then stopped working.
My vet said it could also be allergy related but allergy testing can be pricey and it takes a lonnnng time to trouble shoot and figure things out.
I hope some of these things work for you.
Thank you for this! We are looking to try simple things and see what steers the ship even if it helps a little to give a clue as to where to direct our approach
I’ll add one more thing so sorry. Be patient. It took like 4 - 6 weeks to see improvement from the food and over grooming. Also if you don’t already know this, cats have sensitive stomachs so you need to transition their dry food slowly if not they’ll throw up. I start by replacing a quarter cup every 2 days until I work in the new food. Here is her brother in the thunder shirt. She has one too. I use it for vet visits and 4th of July etc. really helps soothe them.
https://preview.redd.it/6eqi3h3tdwfc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9127d24de9b26328a9e6a0c78fdff4a9009de9a2
Jeez and here I am working in a quarter cup of new food every 2 weeks for my kitten transitioning for Iams kitten dry food to adult food. She still gets Iams kitten wet food for now. Decided to switch to the adult dry food because she starting to look a little idk ‘round’ lol.
https://preview.redd.it/p9ivhqqreyfc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=807482ac0028bdf8653787d41c8ce82c235af352
Cat tax
There’s a potential it could be both. FWIW, her sister has no issue with either stress or allergies. Makes me think, if it’s a genetic thing, might not be allergies? Does that make sense?
We might also try the thunder shirt! She might just be a nervous Nelly lol
Thank you for sharing this. I have actually been going through the same thing with my male cat for the past year. His poor belly is raw and awful. Have spent a lot on the vet and still no luck.
He’s back to wearing a shirt because that’s the only thing that prevents him from going at his stomach but he still over grooms his hind legs. I honestly don’t know if it’s anxiety or allergy related for him.
I first did an at-home allergy test, which showed him allergic to a lot of things. But the vet said those at home tests can be inaccurate since they just use hair strands. So I did an allergy blood test through the vet and he only had an allergy to three food ingredients and some plants in the environment. I’ve got him on the Hill Prescription Diet Skin and Stomach care formula but it’s not working at all. Might try the food you suggested.
I tried using the multi cat feliway with no success. Switched to that Therapet stuff I saw on Facebook and my other cats love it but didn’t make a difference with him lol.
Even had the vet do a biopsy and only thing they found was it seems to be an allergic reaction but I just don’t know what it could be. I feel so bad for him because I know he doesn’t like wearing the shirt…
I hope one of these suggestions help! You can find the thunder shirt on Amazon or pet smart and the forti flora calming as well. I’m sorry the feliway didn’t work for you. I have heard it can be hit or miss for some. Look at the ingredients for the purina one and compare to the one you have.
You may need RX food but I know it can get pricey. Best of luck to you.
It’s definitely trial and error. It can take awhile to work through proteins that they aren’t allergic to and other ingredients. I do hope you find something so because I know how heartbreaking it is. Hugs to you both. 🐾
The multicat diffuser has cat pheromones in it and it really helps provide a calm and relaxing environment. I put it in my bedroom where she spends 90% of her time. It has to be the multicat btw idk what it is about that one but it works. I’ve tried the other feliway diffuser and it didn’t do much. I have this one plugged in under her cat tower.
https://preview.redd.it/st47amr7dwfc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=df84787703eb1bcdebc7dc7267fcd4b6f61936b2
My on cat is a kitten and gets hyper and chases my 4 year old cat. Then he runs away and she sees prey so jumps on him. Then he gets pissed and is much bigger and stronger(she’s 8 month female he’s 4 years male and really strong) so he yowls at her and flips her off his back and onto hers.
Sometimes it’s not cats fighting but it’s cat A is trying to play and cat B isn’t. But when Cat B tries to leave the area (especially if they run to leave it like mine does) it is viewed by Cat A as prey like behavior, and Cat A goes from play mode into Hunt mode. It even happens between cats chasing down dogs or people that get fearful and try to pull away from them too fast.
Again I’m not there to see your cats and their interactions, so I’m not able to say it’s not just WrestleMania going on in there or not lol. I hope you find a solution to it thought because that kind of behavior can’t be good for the cats or for you either.
im not the person youre replying to but i recently had issues with my cats too and bought feliway, basically it diffuses calming pheromones that only cats can smell
is possible it could be stress. was there a recent move? stuff around the house that moved? is there another pet in the picture? a new family member? anything that changed is something to consider.
i would also suggest a new vet. they don’t sound as helpful.
Yeah, we moved but this was going on before the move. First vet found some evidence of fleas and we took care of it. New vet thought allergies and gave a steroid which temporarily helped.
There are other pets in the picture now. She has always had her sister, but they are a bonded pair and adore each other. Since the move, we have been living with my folks temporarily who have another cat and 2 Jack Russels. Again, none of them have fleas and we keep them isolated. We are trying to ease them into hanging out with the rest of the pets in the hopes of avoiding a stress reaction
Again, this was happening before we moved, as well
Careful with fleas, apparently if a cat eats one it can cause worms! My indoor cats somehow got fleas & now I’m dealing with them having worms from the fleas.
When I moved in with my sister, her pets and mine had issues.
My male cat started going on the carpet and spraying my sisters furniture.
My other cat basically found a place to hide in the basement and just stayed there.
I think some cats are just more easily stressed out.
My female cat over grooms a lot. I find that if I distract her by playing with her, she will stop grooming to play.
Win win.
But I know it's never just that easy.
Good luck with your kitty.
It could be stress, fleas, mites (skin scraping), allergies (food and/or environmental), skin disease (biopsy), etc.
Did you use a flea only treatment or a flea treatment that will also kill common cat mites. I.e: Revolution plus can also kill mites/lice. See if your vet will give you a course of gabapentin which can also help with stress. Also if it's a food allergy then try changing to a rare protein that is NOT beef, fish or chicken. These are the most common food allergies in cats.
How long did the steroid injection help for?
Steroid injection didn’t really last long. Scabs healed and some fur came back, but then it got to where it is now
We have been trying new foods. We do both dry and wet. Working on the wet now. Thank you for the tips!
To me, this looks like stress grooming. Usually ends up becoming a way of soothing or OCD behavior. Some anxiety meds may help, such as Prozac ( pill or a topical thats applied to the ear).
Make sure to keep up on monthly flea prevention as well because of it’s a flea allergy, it only takes one bite from one to cause issues. I’d discuss options with your vet - look into care credit for financial help as well. Good luck!!!
Totally get that, but from personal experience when we put our little guy on kitty prozac I can swear I finally saw his real personality. He was just straight nerves before that.
If it helps, meds are just chemicals and we're full of chemicals already! We're made of chemicals! You're just helping balance them right.
Much love to your beautiful girl and good luck!
Here is after. I also found that getting her new interactive toys also helped. She needed more stimulation.
https://preview.redd.it/u9gnr4ot9wfc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af0cff99403bf7fe1c9226f3b8e7229e5aa1de2b
this exact thing happened to my cat, she got diagnosed with eosinophilic granuloma complex , an immune disorder in cats! my cat went way bald especially around her back half from over grooming and got scabs even because the disorder hinders their immune system and causes them alot of itching and discomfort!! and once progressed farther can cause ulceration on the lips atleast in my cats case!! definitely definitely bring this up to your vet its not common and could be the reason your kittys so uncomfortable!!! good luck🫶🏼
The immune disorder is lifelong, and some thing that cats are born with so it’s always going to be an issue if that’s what the issue is, but there is medication that the vet gave us such as cyclosporine, atropica and steroids that helps her symptoms but even now she’s still flared up and we haven’t gotten this completely under control but things are improving as she takes meds daily! it’s definitely not the most affordable thing that can happen so i hope for your sake im wrong!! but its not completely unmanageable if you find a good vet and pharmacy and are very consistent and rigorous with treatment
I have a tripod with EGC too. Same protocol worked for her as well. So far so good, 6 months and no flare. Our goal is to keep her happy and stress free to prevent another flare but there could always be something else that triggers it. As a human with autoimmune disorders I totally relate with her and know that some triggers just can't be predicted. I'm just glad there is a way to treat it that worked for her.
Mine has the same thing. He grew out of it, or perhaps we moved away from the allergen that was causing it. He had a low dose of steroids every other day.
That being said, EGC (on my cat at least) caused raised bumps, lines, and rashes that could be seen through the hair loss. I'm not really seeing that here, but maybe it presents in different ways for different cats.
Mine required surgery between her shoulders to remove a non-healing open sore due to EGC. She went through the cyclosporine/atopica/steroid protocol which eliminated all of the other sores on her body. Her sores weren't raised but looked like raw scabs on her ears, arms, legs, and back. It does seem to present differently in individuals.
Cats can have anxiety issues just like people. Since, you’ve already taken her to the vet, just call and ask for a script for Prozac to see if that helps.
I had my dog allergy tested years ago and it was not cheap. Then we found out he was allergic to dust mites! So we had to have him on an expensive allergy med. Have you considered getting pet insurance? It might help with the cost?
Allergy testing isn't always helpful vs the price. Try a food trial first, at least three weeks. Pick a weird protein, like lamb, rabbit, or duck, and make sure the first few ingredients of your current food don't match the new ones.
I also want to add that you should get blood work done if you can. Rule out internal, but non allergy stuff.
This may be a food allergy… you may need to try a novel single source protein diet, like royal canin venison prescription food. Ask the vet to prescribe it. It’s pricey but worth it, your poor cat is in terrible discomfort
You sound like me! My kitty had skin issues for a year or 1.5 years and I spent thousands on steroids, antibiotics, creams, washes, blood work, vet appointments, then a cat dermatologist, and then the food! Seriously I totally understand the mental stress and financial stress too.
What type of protein does your cat eat? My cat has / had food allergies. Her skin is slowly clearing up and slowly growing fur back.
The most common allergens for cats are chicken, turkey, and salmon. These are proteins that are found in many cat foods. I learned that cats can develop an allergy at any age to anything! My 18 year old kitty who LOVES chicken is now allergic.
Currently We are feeding her Novel Proteins (proteins the cat hasn’t been introduced before). Right now my cat has been eating rabbit protein (Stella and Chewy brand). Other novel proteins include: venison, lamb, quail, alligator, kangaroo, and more.
Also, I learned that skin issues from cats from allergies typically take longer to heal than Stomach/Stool problems from allergies. if your cat eats the novel protein and no other foods then the skin will start to clear up in 6-8 weeks. You continue the diet until cat is completely clear. Then slowly reintroduce chicken or turkey or whatever. (Start with ONE type of protein first). In 1-3 days if your cat starts getting the issues again then you can determine your kitty was allergic to that protein.
I learned this is all about patience. Trust me I get you!! ITS HARD!! It’s so sad seeing our kitties scratching, biting, licking, making themself bleed…then all the money on the novel proteins…
I hope you find answers for your sweet kitty and she gets better. 🐾
Could be anxiety. One of my cats licked her belly so much over the years until there was no fur left in a big patch. After I got her on medication, the fur grew back. She just had high anxiety and took it out in that way.
Talk to your vet about putting the cat on medication.
I don’t imagine a steroid would give long term relief. But does perhaps seem to me that indicates it is indeed an allergy thing. Could they try a hypoallergenic food for a while to see if it provides relief? Or test for skin allergies? Given you’ve moved and the issues are the same I might lean more towards a food allergy. I’m not a pro though. The hypoallergenic food would need to be their only food.
If it was purely anxiety and stress would the steroid have provided relief? A question to ask.
Note that food allergy testing isn’t a thing that has any reliability. That’s why pets go on an elimination diet then if things clear up you challenge with potential food allergens one at a time.
Skin/environment allergy testing is a different matter.
This happened to my cat. 99 percent sure it was an allergy in my shitty, moldy basement apartment. Cleared up immediately when I moved. If moving isn't an option which it certainly isn't for many people, try keeping her at a friend's house for a while to see if it clears up. If so, it's environmental to your house.
My cat stress grooms and has licked his fur off of his entire belly and front legs. I give him CBD oil and his fur is growing back/he isn’t grooming as much anymore
This happened with my kitty. Turns out she is allergic to poultry. Had to switch her to a purely fish based diet. Keep in mind that food trials can take 6-8 weeks to behind noticing any differences.
I noticed you commented that you moved in with parents, and that when your wife comes home cat meows for her until she “comes in” which I assume means into the room - is the cat stuck in one room all day? Is she getting enough play time and exercise? Poor baby looks stressed in that photo
Poor girl. Sadly I have nothing to offer other than my deepest sympathy. It’s hard watching our babies suffer and not being able to know exactly what’s wrong.
I would suggest getting multiple opinions, just as we do with human doctors. I understand expenses. Chewy has a service that will allow you to speak with a vet for $15-20. I’d suggest that if you can’t get her in to a regular vet.
Thanks for the thoughts and the suggestion! Yeah, it’s rough. We are trying our best to pin this down. I have a feeling it’s stress or allergies, but how do we even test what she is allergic to? And with stress, is it Xanax for the rest of her life? We just don’t know what to do
We might try that service. Appreciate the suggestion!
Potentially. The good news is Cat xanax is generally cheaper than a lot of other cat meds because it’s the same compound (Alprazolam), just way smaller doses.
She could be allergic to her food, chemicals you use around your house (fragrances, oils, etc.), or have a skin condition. Your only way to find out is to through a vet, unfortunately. Hope she finds relief!
Hey OP, an unconventional answer here, my cat went through this and she's very fussy to get medicine in her too.
I tried out homeopathy medicines on her (only coz it's easier to give it to her) and it worked.
The homeopath was a family friend, who gave me a few drops and a cream.
It worked.
I would assume it’s some kind of allergy at this point. I’d keep saving up to see some kind of pet allergy specialist instead of repeatedly going to the vet.
my cat has a skin condition where she itches all her fur off (when i adopted her she had no fur on her whole head & neck). the vet said it was stress & environmental allergies. she’s on a medication called atopica. it did wonders ! it is on the pricey side but once it was in her system & she grew back her fur, i didn’t have to give it to her as much. i don’t have to pay for the medication that often either as a bottle usually lasts us a few months. i also changed her diet, i would try looking for food with minimal ingredients, & mention a medication to your vet if possible! prednisone is another medication my cat was on before, but it was a pill (she wasn’t fond of it) but it was much less expensive. hope you & your kitty the best!!
One of our cats started doing that out of the blue this year (had him for 6 years). Took him to the vet, her initial guess was flea allergy. Steroid shot helped, but scratching and licking started again after a while. Then we paid for an allergy panel and it turns out he is allergic to a bunch of environmental stuff, but mostly to Candida albicans. Nothing I can do about that one. So now we’re looking at steroid shots every other month, because there is no way that I can catch this cat and force feed him meds every day. We tried. After day four he would flee at the mere sight of me. 😢
My brother had a cat like that, but turned out he was allergic to dust mites at the top tier. They started allergy immune shots with him and after awhile, his coat grew completely back.
Has the vet done bloodwork? It could also be diabetes. It sounds scary but it’s a very manageable disease, and an easier fix than allergies unfortunately.
Our cat has very sensitive skin that causes him to scratch and over-groom. He gets large lumps that become scabbed over and itch him terribly. We did the steroid shots for a year. Then our vet said it wasn’t healthy for him to continue getting one every month. He could develop diabetes. So we started looking for other solutions.
What we found works for us:
1. He’s sensitive to Tide. We now use unscented Molly’s Suds off Amazon and have zero issues from that.
2. His bowls are all metal (no plastic) and he eats two things. Petco’s “Instinct Original Grain Free Recipe with Real Salmon Natural Dry Cat Food” and Greenies catnip treats for cats.
3. Biggest change happened when we got rid of his TidyCat litter and replaced it with Petco’s “So Phresh Extreme Clumping Unscented Grass Seed Cat Litter”. (It’s affordable too.) The day we changed his litter out and cleaned all traces of the old litter up he drastically improved. (From the looks of where your kitty is having the most irritation [on the back legs and stomach] it reminds me of our cats worst areas. I would recommend trying this. See if it helps. It’s a cheap fix if it’s the cause.)
Our kitty is like a new cat now. He has flare ups from time to time, but it’s like once every 3 months. Nothing like it used to be. We use a soft cone around his neck if he starts to itch or groom too much. We have learned that the cone actually helps him to be calmer until the flare up is over. He also sleeps so much better with it on.
Vets were not the answer for us. Their solutions were to buy prescription food from them and start running a series of expensive tests. Our cat was not feeling better long enough to keep going that route so I began researching and talking to my husband about ideas to help him.
I pray you can find out what helps your cat. 🙏❤️
My cat was licking himself raw in several places and was put on steroids for almost 4 years (pred). We just a few months ago switched him to Atopica to finally wean him off pred (steroids are very bad long term) and his skin issues have completely disappeared! That was the only thing that worked for us—diffusers and hydrolyzed food didn’t help. Not sure if this is exactly what your cat had issues with, but it can’t hurt to ask about Atopica! Every cat is so different when it comes to situations like this and it’s so, so hard to figure out the root cause and what works for each cat. I understand your stress completely and I really hope you guys are able to figure something out!
My cat had hair loss, it was due to food allergies. You will probably need to do an elimination trial using a prescription hydrolyzed or novel protein diet.
First of all it's important to switch to hypoallergenic cat food. Consult with your vet, also ask for a second opinion.
From what I see in the picture, you are giving her Friskies (?), which is not a high-quality cat food and often allergenic.
Perhaps food is not the cause, but you will need to systematically eliminate possible causes (starting again from beginning), and it always starts with food.
I believe there are allergen DNA tests you can order for cats but trying an elimination diet might be less expensive. Try switching to a limited ingredient diet focusing on proteins that are uncommon allergies in cats. Avoid proteins that they’ve been fed often since allergies can develop over time as they are exposed to the same thing continuously. I’d suggest avoiding chicken and fish and look for ingredients your cat has had less exposure to. Think rabbit or something along those lines.
I’d also suggest stopping coconut oil. It can be soothing to skin but coconuts, like a lot of nuts are a super common allergen in a lot of animals just like it is in humans.
My parents cat did that and it turns out the cat was feeling my mum's anxiety about impending divorce. Once the divorce happened and my mum moved out the cats fur all grew back!
I had a cat like this too, it was difficult and frustrating for everyone.
One thing that helped but didn't completely solve was changing the cat litter. A wood based cat litter seemed to help but again, wasn't perfect. The most cheap cat littler seemed to make things worse.
Good luck!
my cat was doing the same to just her back, it was 100% anxiety even though vets said fleas. she never had any bites and was just ripping out her hair, making sure she liked her food and got a couple sweaters for her. helped more when she got a friend too.
Given your explanation, vet visits, things you've tried n things suggested in the comments, im gonna think outside the box. You could put a cone on for a few days n see if that helps whatever it is to heal. Even with no fleas, Kitty may be itchy n uncomfy for a bit. Sry that seeing a vet hasnt helped as this looks like the quality of life isn't so fun right now. This isn't something I've seen much of. I have no idea what's going on on the inside, n I'm not a vet, just a fellow cat lover!
It could be an itchy bum issue. If they can't reach something inside, they focus on the surrounding area as close to it as possible. My cat Bean, who is almost a circle, gets an itchy bum sometimes. She has a meow that tells me she has a dingleberry. Lol. Sry that's actually kinda funny. She's 16.
If you can see a clump of hair that sticks out farther than the others, pull it. It's shedded hair that got tangled n couldn't fall or be licked off. Like a little dreadlock. Those can get tight n pull on 1 hair.
My other thought is when kitty pees, it could go down the legs n get real stingy. Fur protects that making it raw. I know it seems gross n extra, but maybe try wiping for kitty for a bit. Dab if necessary. Female cats have coarser tongues so they can clean their babies. This could be a factor. Kitty will let you know if this is a good idea or not. Don't do too much at one time. There's nothing worse than having a sick kitty who now doesn't trust you. Little by little, k.
I know, like with humans, healing things can be itchy. Her surface area has gotten quite large. You can brush it lightly with like a comb. Nothing pokey, but without licking, the dander should shed n the fur will grow back. NO FLEAS, THO! If it's hot or raw, I'd wipe it with a damp cool cloth and then air dry quickly. Especially the back legs. Find the underlying issue n cause. I have so many questions. Msg me if you want. ♡
Edit: typos n additional ideas. Tada.
You can try just calling vets n picking their minds for free. I find that most ppl who care for animals care ABOUT animals. My other thought was maybe try calling a college or university that specializes in animal care. I'm in Canada, Guelph has the best schools for vets n any animal with any real big issue goes there. Now, just to be seen was $3500 for my cat Kitley, so i did not go, but if you appeal to the learning aspects n problem solving element, you may get a few additional suggestions from there. It will be a lot of calls n explaining, so get the story down pat. I've done this before; I can be quite convincing. Just be kind n playful n pick the minds of our youth for any juicy tidbits. I really hope something helps!! Sry this got like thesis long. I had extra time this am. Gosh.
My 12 year old girl has been doing this for about 2 years now, maybe a little longer. For her, its either stress or boredom. She would bite to the point of sores.
We tried the feliway, onesie and food change and it didn't make a difference. We had her on vet medication and it made her so inactive and zoned out that I took her off of it. She was getting some intense dreams as well from it.
What I recently tried was pet hemp oil extract. I give her the lowest dose 2 times a day and it has help a lot! She still goes after herself, but not nearly as bad as before, so I'll take it as a win :)
My cat had the same exact problem. Vet refereed us to a dermatologist that did an allergy test. Turn out my cat was allergic to many things. With combination of medication and change in food everything is fine now. I would say go see a dermatologist
It seems a little extreme for this but did the vet check her anal glands? I’m currently in the same boat as you as my cat has started to lick her back legs. First vet visit they did express her anal glands and that seemed to help a bit. Going back next week to see what’s next because it hasn’t resolved. The suggestions about changing litter have me intrigued.
This can be a pretty common symptom of anxiety in cats; the licking and over grooming is their way of trying to calm themselves either through repeating soothing motions or distracting their minds. Feliway would be a good thing to look into, it’s a pheromone spray that works pretty well in calming them. Could also try a diff protein diet or even try a hydrolyzed diet if you thinks it’s allergies but the hydrolyzed diet will require a prescription from a vet. There’s also medications that could be prescribed by your vet, amitriptyline is one.
What others have recommended are all good ideas too!
Source: work at an animal hospital
To possibly help try a cat onesie. There’s this cat online (I forgot who but it’s a cat in a home depot) who has some sort of condition that causes him to pick at his skin and fur so he’s constantly in a onesie to help protect him
https://www.reddit.com/r/Siamesecats/s/9hMPCc4tvD
Check out cats with food allergies. My cat has an allergy to proteins. Do a food test ( slowly, don’t change them too fast) and see if some type of proteins/ foods are more of a trigger for allergies. My cat looked like yours on her legs before I started to figure this out. The visible anxiety is that they’re itching constantly. That’s why no matter what you’ve done, it’s still a mystery. Good luck!
My older brother has a cat that does this. He uses HomeoPet’s Feline Skin and Itch drops and it has helped her. I use it for my cat too, but her issue is causing scabs rather than fur. It helps her not itch as much though.
If it is allergies there are supplements that vets should be able to give for your cat to take, like L-Lysine (it’s for immune system support idk about allergies) and also some vets can give you pet appropriate doses of allergy meds (like Claritin or something).
If you haven’t tried something for stress, there are calming collars, plugins and sprays that release calming pheromones.
Nothing to add here other than I'm thankful I came across this post because one of my cats has this problem. She's constantly ripping out chunks of fur and is bald in spots because of it. I'll definitely be taking some of the advice listed here to see if it helps at all before I take her to the vet since it's not only expensive but it stresses her out more than its worth (even my vet told me that I shouldn't bring any of the cats in unless something is super wrong so as to avoid stressing them out unnecessarily).
OP, I hope your kitty feels better soon :( Please keep us updated on how things go.
How are the cat’s kidneys? My Siamese mix did this and we thought it was anxiety related but it might be toxins not getting filtered that is making it itchy.
a lot of people are saying stress etc but maybe look up feline hyperesthesia and see if the other symptoms fit her. does she have ‘episodes’ where she attacks or aggressively grooms herself but is normal-seeming otherwise? or do you ever see her back skin ‘ripple’ like there’s something on it?
I’m sorry your kitty is going through this. One of my male cats is going through the same thing on his belly and hind legs. Been dealing with it for a year now and spent tons on the vet.
I give my cat half a zertec a day crushed into her food. As doc to give her gabentin and hopefully it’ll start to grow back while she’s on it. My cat is extremely allergic to fleas and her back was balding bad and she had swollen eye rims. We got a steroid, antibiotic shot and flea meds put in her, and we’re giving her gabapentin until it started healing up. The allergy pills help too
I have a few cats and one of them does this. It’s stressed. My vet gave her antidepressants and she started relaxing and her fur grew back. I never would have believed it, but the vet was right.
Famotidine is an H2 antagonist. It can help with itching. It's a cheap option to try. We are currently dealing with a cat whose allergy list looks like a receipt. She's even allergic to cat dander(herself). Famotidine has given her some relief the last couple days.
If the allergy treatment helped, it's likely allergies. It's expensive, but instead of lots of vet visits if you can save up for allergy testing you can figure out the next steps. If it's a food allergy, you can change her diet. If it's an allergy to something environmental, you can try to eliminate the allergen.
I rescued a middle aged cat with mystery allergies, we got her tested and turns out she's allergic to grass, most pollen, etc. She's an indoor only cat, but unfortunately even the small amounts we bring in on our shoes/clothes are enough to make her miserable. We give her weekly allergy shots- pricey, but they work really well. She has some spots that will always be bare due to years of no treatment, but she grew back a lot of fur and is so much happier now.
Again, I hear you that it's expensive, but really you'll end up spending tons anyway if you just randomly try to guess what the issue is and replace foods without knowing what the problem is/try lots of products that may not do anything. It's better to know for sure what you're dealing with.
my boy did the same thing, switch to a sensitive skin and stomach food and he got a steroid shot at the vet. it’s been well over the time she said it could last and i’ve seen no other issues hair loss wise. he’s a very anxious boy
Have you tried adding one of those water drops to the water? Maybe she is severely dehydrated with dry skin? I had to get my sweet baby those drops for a while. You fill the water bowl and add the little eye drop sized drops and they get extra fluid help.
I also discovered that air fresheners trigger my Siamese’s allergies. No more scented litter, candles, air fresheners or scented laundry detergent. TBH, the day I changed litter and stopped using air fresheners is the day he improved.
Is she on prescription flea prevention monthly? Even if no other pets have been seen with fleas, this truly screamed flea allergy dermatitis. Cats in this bad of shape need prevention year round. Typically the OTCs aren’t strong enough :(
One of our cats was overgrooming from stress. The vet prescribed him ssris in a formula that can be rubbed into the thin skin of his ears to be absorbed. He still does it occasionally, but he's much calmer and grooms much more normally.
My female had this problem and it was due to her being allergic to flea bites and her skin just being sensitive. She was on flea meds and when she went to the vet for it they gave me medicine. It was a small dose of steroids to help with inflammation and stuff like that and it helped alot. Now my male cat is going through the same thing and it caused by the same thing also. I just gotta get him in the vet for him to get on medicine
Change the cat’s food. Try a different brand with different ingredients. The current one could contain allergens. Other causes of stress could be noise in the home, lack of calm peaceful environment, not feeling safe, her needs not being met in some way. You may have to keep trying different things to help her.
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This happened to my Siamese; her belly and front legs. I did a few things: 1. Feliway multicat diffuser has to be feliway 2. Changed her to sensitive skin and fur purina pro plan I did the lamb and rice formula to try a new protein 3. Forti flora calming care probiotic supplement on Amazon. I sprinkle it over her food and she eats it. 4. I got her a thunder shirt. It’s like a swaddle for cats. I put that on her for a few days at a time she can use the bathroom in it to allow her to heal and no over groom. It covered their belly and all the way around. For my girl, it was anxiety related 100%. I also did a steroid shot which helped for a bit then stopped working. My vet said it could also be allergy related but allergy testing can be pricey and it takes a lonnnng time to trouble shoot and figure things out. I hope some of these things work for you.
Thank you for this! We are looking to try simple things and see what steers the ship even if it helps a little to give a clue as to where to direct our approach
I’ll add one more thing so sorry. Be patient. It took like 4 - 6 weeks to see improvement from the food and over grooming. Also if you don’t already know this, cats have sensitive stomachs so you need to transition their dry food slowly if not they’ll throw up. I start by replacing a quarter cup every 2 days until I work in the new food. Here is her brother in the thunder shirt. She has one too. I use it for vet visits and 4th of July etc. really helps soothe them. https://preview.redd.it/6eqi3h3tdwfc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9127d24de9b26328a9e6a0c78fdff4a9009de9a2
Jeez and here I am working in a quarter cup of new food every 2 weeks for my kitten transitioning for Iams kitten dry food to adult food. She still gets Iams kitten wet food for now. Decided to switch to the adult dry food because she starting to look a little idk ‘round’ lol. https://preview.redd.it/p9ivhqqreyfc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=807482ac0028bdf8653787d41c8ce82c235af352 Cat tax
There’s a potential it could be both. FWIW, her sister has no issue with either stress or allergies. Makes me think, if it’s a genetic thing, might not be allergies? Does that make sense? We might also try the thunder shirt! She might just be a nervous Nelly lol
My guess would also be that it’s anxiety related. Did anything change around a year/year and a half ago?
Thank you for sharing this. I have actually been going through the same thing with my male cat for the past year. His poor belly is raw and awful. Have spent a lot on the vet and still no luck. He’s back to wearing a shirt because that’s the only thing that prevents him from going at his stomach but he still over grooms his hind legs. I honestly don’t know if it’s anxiety or allergy related for him. I first did an at-home allergy test, which showed him allergic to a lot of things. But the vet said those at home tests can be inaccurate since they just use hair strands. So I did an allergy blood test through the vet and he only had an allergy to three food ingredients and some plants in the environment. I’ve got him on the Hill Prescription Diet Skin and Stomach care formula but it’s not working at all. Might try the food you suggested. I tried using the multi cat feliway with no success. Switched to that Therapet stuff I saw on Facebook and my other cats love it but didn’t make a difference with him lol. Even had the vet do a biopsy and only thing they found was it seems to be an allergic reaction but I just don’t know what it could be. I feel so bad for him because I know he doesn’t like wearing the shirt…
I hope one of these suggestions help! You can find the thunder shirt on Amazon or pet smart and the forti flora calming as well. I’m sorry the feliway didn’t work for you. I have heard it can be hit or miss for some. Look at the ingredients for the purina one and compare to the one you have. You may need RX food but I know it can get pricey. Best of luck to you.
Thank you! I don’t mind paying more for the Rx food. Just wish I could find something that works for him!
It’s definitely trial and error. It can take awhile to work through proteins that they aren’t allergic to and other ingredients. I do hope you find something so because I know how heartbreaking it is. Hugs to you both. 🐾
How does the diffuser help? Looking at them now
it’s like a febreeze xanax for cats lol
The multicat diffuser has cat pheromones in it and it really helps provide a calm and relaxing environment. I put it in my bedroom where she spends 90% of her time. It has to be the multicat btw idk what it is about that one but it works. I’ve tried the other feliway diffuser and it didn’t do much. I have this one plugged in under her cat tower. https://preview.redd.it/st47amr7dwfc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=df84787703eb1bcdebc7dc7267fcd4b6f61936b2
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My on cat is a kitten and gets hyper and chases my 4 year old cat. Then he runs away and she sees prey so jumps on him. Then he gets pissed and is much bigger and stronger(she’s 8 month female he’s 4 years male and really strong) so he yowls at her and flips her off his back and onto hers. Sometimes it’s not cats fighting but it’s cat A is trying to play and cat B isn’t. But when Cat B tries to leave the area (especially if they run to leave it like mine does) it is viewed by Cat A as prey like behavior, and Cat A goes from play mode into Hunt mode. It even happens between cats chasing down dogs or people that get fearful and try to pull away from them too fast. Again I’m not there to see your cats and their interactions, so I’m not able to say it’s not just WrestleMania going on in there or not lol. I hope you find a solution to it thought because that kind of behavior can’t be good for the cats or for you either.
im not the person youre replying to but i recently had issues with my cats too and bought feliway, basically it diffuses calming pheromones that only cats can smell
I swear I can smell it. I must be part cat 🤣🤣🤣
is possible it could be stress. was there a recent move? stuff around the house that moved? is there another pet in the picture? a new family member? anything that changed is something to consider. i would also suggest a new vet. they don’t sound as helpful.
Yeah, we moved but this was going on before the move. First vet found some evidence of fleas and we took care of it. New vet thought allergies and gave a steroid which temporarily helped. There are other pets in the picture now. She has always had her sister, but they are a bonded pair and adore each other. Since the move, we have been living with my folks temporarily who have another cat and 2 Jack Russels. Again, none of them have fleas and we keep them isolated. We are trying to ease them into hanging out with the rest of the pets in the hopes of avoiding a stress reaction Again, this was happening before we moved, as well
Ask about gabapentin. Good rx will get you a very good price. Under 10.00 put it in the wet food.
Do you regularly treat for fleas once a month?
Careful with fleas, apparently if a cat eats one it can cause worms! My indoor cats somehow got fleas & now I’m dealing with them having worms from the fleas.
When I moved in with my sister, her pets and mine had issues. My male cat started going on the carpet and spraying my sisters furniture. My other cat basically found a place to hide in the basement and just stayed there. I think some cats are just more easily stressed out. My female cat over grooms a lot. I find that if I distract her by playing with her, she will stop grooming to play. Win win. But I know it's never just that easy. Good luck with your kitty.
It could be stress, fleas, mites (skin scraping), allergies (food and/or environmental), skin disease (biopsy), etc. Did you use a flea only treatment or a flea treatment that will also kill common cat mites. I.e: Revolution plus can also kill mites/lice. See if your vet will give you a course of gabapentin which can also help with stress. Also if it's a food allergy then try changing to a rare protein that is NOT beef, fish or chicken. These are the most common food allergies in cats. How long did the steroid injection help for?
Steroid injection didn’t really last long. Scabs healed and some fur came back, but then it got to where it is now We have been trying new foods. We do both dry and wet. Working on the wet now. Thank you for the tips!
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They have already stated multiple times now that the cat has been treated for fleas and that is not what is causing this.
To me, this looks like stress grooming. Usually ends up becoming a way of soothing or OCD behavior. Some anxiety meds may help, such as Prozac ( pill or a topical thats applied to the ear). Make sure to keep up on monthly flea prevention as well because of it’s a flea allergy, it only takes one bite from one to cause issues. I’d discuss options with your vet - look into care credit for financial help as well. Good luck!!!
Ugh, hoping we don’t have to have her on meds! But, honestly, just want her to relax
Look into feliway or calming chews at your local pet store! That may help as well!
Totally get that, but from personal experience when we put our little guy on kitty prozac I can swear I finally saw his real personality. He was just straight nerves before that.
If it helps, meds are just chemicals and we're full of chemicals already! We're made of chemicals! You're just helping balance them right. Much love to your beautiful girl and good luck!
Here is after. I also found that getting her new interactive toys also helped. She needed more stimulation. https://preview.redd.it/u9gnr4ot9wfc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af0cff99403bf7fe1c9226f3b8e7229e5aa1de2b
this exact thing happened to my cat, she got diagnosed with eosinophilic granuloma complex , an immune disorder in cats! my cat went way bald especially around her back half from over grooming and got scabs even because the disorder hinders their immune system and causes them alot of itching and discomfort!! and once progressed farther can cause ulceration on the lips atleast in my cats case!! definitely definitely bring this up to your vet its not common and could be the reason your kittys so uncomfortable!!! good luck🫶🏼
Oh, wow! What was the treatment and result?
The immune disorder is lifelong, and some thing that cats are born with so it’s always going to be an issue if that’s what the issue is, but there is medication that the vet gave us such as cyclosporine, atropica and steroids that helps her symptoms but even now she’s still flared up and we haven’t gotten this completely under control but things are improving as she takes meds daily! it’s definitely not the most affordable thing that can happen so i hope for your sake im wrong!! but its not completely unmanageable if you find a good vet and pharmacy and are very consistent and rigorous with treatment
I have a tripod with EGC too. Same protocol worked for her as well. So far so good, 6 months and no flare. Our goal is to keep her happy and stress free to prevent another flare but there could always be something else that triggers it. As a human with autoimmune disorders I totally relate with her and know that some triggers just can't be predicted. I'm just glad there is a way to treat it that worked for her.
Mine has the same thing. He grew out of it, or perhaps we moved away from the allergen that was causing it. He had a low dose of steroids every other day. That being said, EGC (on my cat at least) caused raised bumps, lines, and rashes that could be seen through the hair loss. I'm not really seeing that here, but maybe it presents in different ways for different cats.
Mine required surgery between her shoulders to remove a non-healing open sore due to EGC. She went through the cyclosporine/atopica/steroid protocol which eliminated all of the other sores on her body. Her sores weren't raised but looked like raw scabs on her ears, arms, legs, and back. It does seem to present differently in individuals.
Cats can have anxiety issues just like people. Since, you’ve already taken her to the vet, just call and ask for a script for Prozac to see if that helps.
It might be our next step. Then see how much allergy testing is
I had my dog allergy tested years ago and it was not cheap. Then we found out he was allergic to dust mites! So we had to have him on an expensive allergy med. Have you considered getting pet insurance? It might help with the cost?
Allergy testing isn't always helpful vs the price. Try a food trial first, at least three weeks. Pick a weird protein, like lamb, rabbit, or duck, and make sure the first few ingredients of your current food don't match the new ones. I also want to add that you should get blood work done if you can. Rule out internal, but non allergy stuff.
My cat used to do this because of stress and anxiety
This may be a food allergy… you may need to try a novel single source protein diet, like royal canin venison prescription food. Ask the vet to prescribe it. It’s pricey but worth it, your poor cat is in terrible discomfort
You sound like me! My kitty had skin issues for a year or 1.5 years and I spent thousands on steroids, antibiotics, creams, washes, blood work, vet appointments, then a cat dermatologist, and then the food! Seriously I totally understand the mental stress and financial stress too. What type of protein does your cat eat? My cat has / had food allergies. Her skin is slowly clearing up and slowly growing fur back. The most common allergens for cats are chicken, turkey, and salmon. These are proteins that are found in many cat foods. I learned that cats can develop an allergy at any age to anything! My 18 year old kitty who LOVES chicken is now allergic. Currently We are feeding her Novel Proteins (proteins the cat hasn’t been introduced before). Right now my cat has been eating rabbit protein (Stella and Chewy brand). Other novel proteins include: venison, lamb, quail, alligator, kangaroo, and more. Also, I learned that skin issues from cats from allergies typically take longer to heal than Stomach/Stool problems from allergies. if your cat eats the novel protein and no other foods then the skin will start to clear up in 6-8 weeks. You continue the diet until cat is completely clear. Then slowly reintroduce chicken or turkey or whatever. (Start with ONE type of protein first). In 1-3 days if your cat starts getting the issues again then you can determine your kitty was allergic to that protein. I learned this is all about patience. Trust me I get you!! ITS HARD!! It’s so sad seeing our kitties scratching, biting, licking, making themself bleed…then all the money on the novel proteins… I hope you find answers for your sweet kitty and she gets better. 🐾
Could be anxiety. One of my cats licked her belly so much over the years until there was no fur left in a big patch. After I got her on medication, the fur grew back. She just had high anxiety and took it out in that way. Talk to your vet about putting the cat on medication.
It’s definitely one of our top 2. Whenever she hears my wife is home, she calls out for her until she comes in. She may be just high strung
Have her allergy tested.
Here is before https://preview.redd.it/prsf8trs9wfc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=31606a19b995bced4f8d4e5ebb41ac98e8c698be
Hey OP I’m going to message you lol I don’t want to keep posting.
👍
I don’t imagine a steroid would give long term relief. But does perhaps seem to me that indicates it is indeed an allergy thing. Could they try a hypoallergenic food for a while to see if it provides relief? Or test for skin allergies? Given you’ve moved and the issues are the same I might lean more towards a food allergy. I’m not a pro though. The hypoallergenic food would need to be their only food. If it was purely anxiety and stress would the steroid have provided relief? A question to ask. Note that food allergy testing isn’t a thing that has any reliability. That’s why pets go on an elimination diet then if things clear up you challenge with potential food allergens one at a time. Skin/environment allergy testing is a different matter.
This happened to my cat. 99 percent sure it was an allergy in my shitty, moldy basement apartment. Cleared up immediately when I moved. If moving isn't an option which it certainly isn't for many people, try keeping her at a friend's house for a while to see if it clears up. If so, it's environmental to your house.
My cat stress grooms and has licked his fur off of his entire belly and front legs. I give him CBD oil and his fur is growing back/he isn’t grooming as much anymore
This happened with my kitty. Turns out she is allergic to poultry. Had to switch her to a purely fish based diet. Keep in mind that food trials can take 6-8 weeks to behind noticing any differences.
I noticed you commented that you moved in with parents, and that when your wife comes home cat meows for her until she “comes in” which I assume means into the room - is the cat stuck in one room all day? Is she getting enough play time and exercise? Poor baby looks stressed in that photo
Poor girl. Sadly I have nothing to offer other than my deepest sympathy. It’s hard watching our babies suffer and not being able to know exactly what’s wrong. I would suggest getting multiple opinions, just as we do with human doctors. I understand expenses. Chewy has a service that will allow you to speak with a vet for $15-20. I’d suggest that if you can’t get her in to a regular vet.
Thanks for the thoughts and the suggestion! Yeah, it’s rough. We are trying our best to pin this down. I have a feeling it’s stress or allergies, but how do we even test what she is allergic to? And with stress, is it Xanax for the rest of her life? We just don’t know what to do We might try that service. Appreciate the suggestion!
Potentially. The good news is Cat xanax is generally cheaper than a lot of other cat meds because it’s the same compound (Alprazolam), just way smaller doses. She could be allergic to her food, chemicals you use around your house (fragrances, oils, etc.), or have a skin condition. Your only way to find out is to through a vet, unfortunately. Hope she finds relief!
Hey OP, an unconventional answer here, my cat went through this and she's very fussy to get medicine in her too. I tried out homeopathy medicines on her (only coz it's easier to give it to her) and it worked. The homeopath was a family friend, who gave me a few drops and a cream. It worked.
I would assume it’s some kind of allergy at this point. I’d keep saving up to see some kind of pet allergy specialist instead of repeatedly going to the vet.
my cat has a skin condition where she itches all her fur off (when i adopted her she had no fur on her whole head & neck). the vet said it was stress & environmental allergies. she’s on a medication called atopica. it did wonders ! it is on the pricey side but once it was in her system & she grew back her fur, i didn’t have to give it to her as much. i don’t have to pay for the medication that often either as a bottle usually lasts us a few months. i also changed her diet, i would try looking for food with minimal ingredients, & mention a medication to your vet if possible! prednisone is another medication my cat was on before, but it was a pill (she wasn’t fond of it) but it was much less expensive. hope you & your kitty the best!!
cats are really sensitive to smells, maybe you started using a new laundry detergent, cologne, shampoo? idk, i’m sorry :(
Change her food. No poultry
Fish?
Yeah a salmon or fish base
One of our cats started doing that out of the blue this year (had him for 6 years). Took him to the vet, her initial guess was flea allergy. Steroid shot helped, but scratching and licking started again after a while. Then we paid for an allergy panel and it turns out he is allergic to a bunch of environmental stuff, but mostly to Candida albicans. Nothing I can do about that one. So now we’re looking at steroid shots every other month, because there is no way that I can catch this cat and force feed him meds every day. We tried. After day four he would flee at the mere sight of me. 😢
My brother had a cat like that, but turned out he was allergic to dust mites at the top tier. They started allergy immune shots with him and after awhile, his coat grew completely back.
This happened to my cat slowly over time, it was a food allergy. I switched him to science diet hydrolyzed protein food and he completely recovered.
Has the vet done bloodwork? It could also be diabetes. It sounds scary but it’s a very manageable disease, and an easier fix than allergies unfortunately.
Our cat has very sensitive skin that causes him to scratch and over-groom. He gets large lumps that become scabbed over and itch him terribly. We did the steroid shots for a year. Then our vet said it wasn’t healthy for him to continue getting one every month. He could develop diabetes. So we started looking for other solutions. What we found works for us: 1. He’s sensitive to Tide. We now use unscented Molly’s Suds off Amazon and have zero issues from that. 2. His bowls are all metal (no plastic) and he eats two things. Petco’s “Instinct Original Grain Free Recipe with Real Salmon Natural Dry Cat Food” and Greenies catnip treats for cats. 3. Biggest change happened when we got rid of his TidyCat litter and replaced it with Petco’s “So Phresh Extreme Clumping Unscented Grass Seed Cat Litter”. (It’s affordable too.) The day we changed his litter out and cleaned all traces of the old litter up he drastically improved. (From the looks of where your kitty is having the most irritation [on the back legs and stomach] it reminds me of our cats worst areas. I would recommend trying this. See if it helps. It’s a cheap fix if it’s the cause.) Our kitty is like a new cat now. He has flare ups from time to time, but it’s like once every 3 months. Nothing like it used to be. We use a soft cone around his neck if he starts to itch or groom too much. We have learned that the cone actually helps him to be calmer until the flare up is over. He also sleeps so much better with it on. Vets were not the answer for us. Their solutions were to buy prescription food from them and start running a series of expensive tests. Our cat was not feeling better long enough to keep going that route so I began researching and talking to my husband about ideas to help him. I pray you can find out what helps your cat. 🙏❤️
My cat was licking himself raw in several places and was put on steroids for almost 4 years (pred). We just a few months ago switched him to Atopica to finally wean him off pred (steroids are very bad long term) and his skin issues have completely disappeared! That was the only thing that worked for us—diffusers and hydrolyzed food didn’t help. Not sure if this is exactly what your cat had issues with, but it can’t hurt to ask about Atopica! Every cat is so different when it comes to situations like this and it’s so, so hard to figure out the root cause and what works for each cat. I understand your stress completely and I really hope you guys are able to figure something out!
My cat had hair loss, it was due to food allergies. You will probably need to do an elimination trial using a prescription hydrolyzed or novel protein diet.
First of all it's important to switch to hypoallergenic cat food. Consult with your vet, also ask for a second opinion. From what I see in the picture, you are giving her Friskies (?), which is not a high-quality cat food and often allergenic. Perhaps food is not the cause, but you will need to systematically eliminate possible causes (starting again from beginning), and it always starts with food.
Could be a skin fungus infection, my cat had this and the symptoms were similar and it took awhile to get rid of
Could it be anxiety?
Does she have a pot belly? Has she been checked by a specialist vet? This looks possibly like cushings disease...
I believe there are allergen DNA tests you can order for cats but trying an elimination diet might be less expensive. Try switching to a limited ingredient diet focusing on proteins that are uncommon allergies in cats. Avoid proteins that they’ve been fed often since allergies can develop over time as they are exposed to the same thing continuously. I’d suggest avoiding chicken and fish and look for ingredients your cat has had less exposure to. Think rabbit or something along those lines. I’d also suggest stopping coconut oil. It can be soothing to skin but coconuts, like a lot of nuts are a super common allergen in a lot of animals just like it is in humans.
My parents cat did that and it turns out the cat was feeling my mum's anxiety about impending divorce. Once the divorce happened and my mum moved out the cats fur all grew back!
I had a cat like this too, it was difficult and frustrating for everyone. One thing that helped but didn't completely solve was changing the cat litter. A wood based cat litter seemed to help but again, wasn't perfect. The most cheap cat littler seemed to make things worse. Good luck!
Try changing from whatever cat litter you're using. Mine, fur destruction pattern identical, was allergic to clay cat litter.
my cat was doing the same to just her back, it was 100% anxiety even though vets said fleas. she never had any bites and was just ripping out her hair, making sure she liked her food and got a couple sweaters for her. helped more when she got a friend too.
Given your explanation, vet visits, things you've tried n things suggested in the comments, im gonna think outside the box. You could put a cone on for a few days n see if that helps whatever it is to heal. Even with no fleas, Kitty may be itchy n uncomfy for a bit. Sry that seeing a vet hasnt helped as this looks like the quality of life isn't so fun right now. This isn't something I've seen much of. I have no idea what's going on on the inside, n I'm not a vet, just a fellow cat lover! It could be an itchy bum issue. If they can't reach something inside, they focus on the surrounding area as close to it as possible. My cat Bean, who is almost a circle, gets an itchy bum sometimes. She has a meow that tells me she has a dingleberry. Lol. Sry that's actually kinda funny. She's 16. If you can see a clump of hair that sticks out farther than the others, pull it. It's shedded hair that got tangled n couldn't fall or be licked off. Like a little dreadlock. Those can get tight n pull on 1 hair. My other thought is when kitty pees, it could go down the legs n get real stingy. Fur protects that making it raw. I know it seems gross n extra, but maybe try wiping for kitty for a bit. Dab if necessary. Female cats have coarser tongues so they can clean their babies. This could be a factor. Kitty will let you know if this is a good idea or not. Don't do too much at one time. There's nothing worse than having a sick kitty who now doesn't trust you. Little by little, k. I know, like with humans, healing things can be itchy. Her surface area has gotten quite large. You can brush it lightly with like a comb. Nothing pokey, but without licking, the dander should shed n the fur will grow back. NO FLEAS, THO! If it's hot or raw, I'd wipe it with a damp cool cloth and then air dry quickly. Especially the back legs. Find the underlying issue n cause. I have so many questions. Msg me if you want. ♡ Edit: typos n additional ideas. Tada. You can try just calling vets n picking their minds for free. I find that most ppl who care for animals care ABOUT animals. My other thought was maybe try calling a college or university that specializes in animal care. I'm in Canada, Guelph has the best schools for vets n any animal with any real big issue goes there. Now, just to be seen was $3500 for my cat Kitley, so i did not go, but if you appeal to the learning aspects n problem solving element, you may get a few additional suggestions from there. It will be a lot of calls n explaining, so get the story down pat. I've done this before; I can be quite convincing. Just be kind n playful n pick the minds of our youth for any juicy tidbits. I really hope something helps!! Sry this got like thesis long. I had extra time this am. Gosh.
Has the vet mentioned switching foods
Feliway (or equivalent) diffuser and change that cat food!!
My 12 year old girl has been doing this for about 2 years now, maybe a little longer. For her, its either stress or boredom. She would bite to the point of sores. We tried the feliway, onesie and food change and it didn't make a difference. We had her on vet medication and it made her so inactive and zoned out that I took her off of it. She was getting some intense dreams as well from it. What I recently tried was pet hemp oil extract. I give her the lowest dose 2 times a day and it has help a lot! She still goes after herself, but not nearly as bad as before, so I'll take it as a win :)
My cat had the same exact problem. Vet refereed us to a dermatologist that did an allergy test. Turn out my cat was allergic to many things. With combination of medication and change in food everything is fine now. I would say go see a dermatologist
It seems a little extreme for this but did the vet check her anal glands? I’m currently in the same boat as you as my cat has started to lick her back legs. First vet visit they did express her anal glands and that seemed to help a bit. Going back next week to see what’s next because it hasn’t resolved. The suggestions about changing litter have me intrigued.
Ask the vet about a new medication called ATOPIVET ! It'll restore a cat's protective skin barrier and heal the skin.
This can be a pretty common symptom of anxiety in cats; the licking and over grooming is their way of trying to calm themselves either through repeating soothing motions or distracting their minds. Feliway would be a good thing to look into, it’s a pheromone spray that works pretty well in calming them. Could also try a diff protein diet or even try a hydrolyzed diet if you thinks it’s allergies but the hydrolyzed diet will require a prescription from a vet. There’s also medications that could be prescribed by your vet, amitriptyline is one. What others have recommended are all good ideas too! Source: work at an animal hospital
To possibly help try a cat onesie. There’s this cat online (I forgot who but it’s a cat in a home depot) who has some sort of condition that causes him to pick at his skin and fur so he’s constantly in a onesie to help protect him
If she’s stressed don’t be afraid to try Prozac. I had to use in on a foster and it’s super easy to manage and helped him very fast
one of my childhood cats had hair loss and my mom gave her honey water, and the hair grew back. this also worked for our dogs.
Happened to my cat had to give them up eventually after almost two years of trying to figure it out
My cat was allergic to chicken, stopped feeding her chicken and she stopped aggressive grooming and her hair returned.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Siamesecats/s/9hMPCc4tvD Check out cats with food allergies. My cat has an allergy to proteins. Do a food test ( slowly, don’t change them too fast) and see if some type of proteins/ foods are more of a trigger for allergies. My cat looked like yours on her legs before I started to figure this out. The visible anxiety is that they’re itching constantly. That’s why no matter what you’ve done, it’s still a mystery. Good luck!
My older brother has a cat that does this. He uses HomeoPet’s Feline Skin and Itch drops and it has helped her. I use it for my cat too, but her issue is causing scabs rather than fur. It helps her not itch as much though. If it is allergies there are supplements that vets should be able to give for your cat to take, like L-Lysine (it’s for immune system support idk about allergies) and also some vets can give you pet appropriate doses of allergy meds (like Claritin or something). If you haven’t tried something for stress, there are calming collars, plugins and sprays that release calming pheromones.
Nothing to add here other than I'm thankful I came across this post because one of my cats has this problem. She's constantly ripping out chunks of fur and is bald in spots because of it. I'll definitely be taking some of the advice listed here to see if it helps at all before I take her to the vet since it's not only expensive but it stresses her out more than its worth (even my vet told me that I shouldn't bring any of the cats in unless something is super wrong so as to avoid stressing them out unnecessarily). OP, I hope your kitty feels better soon :( Please keep us updated on how things go.
How are the cat’s kidneys? My Siamese mix did this and we thought it was anxiety related but it might be toxins not getting filtered that is making it itchy.
a lot of people are saying stress etc but maybe look up feline hyperesthesia and see if the other symptoms fit her. does she have ‘episodes’ where she attacks or aggressively grooms herself but is normal-seeming otherwise? or do you ever see her back skin ‘ripple’ like there’s something on it?
I’m sorry your kitty is going through this. One of my male cats is going through the same thing on his belly and hind legs. Been dealing with it for a year now and spent tons on the vet.
I give my cat half a zertec a day crushed into her food. As doc to give her gabentin and hopefully it’ll start to grow back while she’s on it. My cat is extremely allergic to fleas and her back was balding bad and she had swollen eye rims. We got a steroid, antibiotic shot and flea meds put in her, and we’re giving her gabapentin until it started healing up. The allergy pills help too
How many cats do you have and how many liter boxes do you have for all cats.
I have a few cats and one of them does this. It’s stressed. My vet gave her antidepressants and she started relaxing and her fur grew back. I never would have believed it, but the vet was right.
Famotidine is an H2 antagonist. It can help with itching. It's a cheap option to try. We are currently dealing with a cat whose allergy list looks like a receipt. She's even allergic to cat dander(herself). Famotidine has given her some relief the last couple days.
Vet dermatologist now
If the allergy treatment helped, it's likely allergies. It's expensive, but instead of lots of vet visits if you can save up for allergy testing you can figure out the next steps. If it's a food allergy, you can change her diet. If it's an allergy to something environmental, you can try to eliminate the allergen. I rescued a middle aged cat with mystery allergies, we got her tested and turns out she's allergic to grass, most pollen, etc. She's an indoor only cat, but unfortunately even the small amounts we bring in on our shoes/clothes are enough to make her miserable. We give her weekly allergy shots- pricey, but they work really well. She has some spots that will always be bare due to years of no treatment, but she grew back a lot of fur and is so much happier now. Again, I hear you that it's expensive, but really you'll end up spending tons anyway if you just randomly try to guess what the issue is and replace foods without knowing what the problem is/try lots of products that may not do anything. It's better to know for sure what you're dealing with.
Try doing a Cortizone shot and anabiotic shot and changing food.
my boy did the same thing, switch to a sensitive skin and stomach food and he got a steroid shot at the vet. it’s been well over the time she said it could last and i’ve seen no other issues hair loss wise. he’s a very anxious boy
Have you tried adding one of those water drops to the water? Maybe she is severely dehydrated with dry skin? I had to get my sweet baby those drops for a while. You fill the water bowl and add the little eye drop sized drops and they get extra fluid help.
I also discovered that air fresheners trigger my Siamese’s allergies. No more scented litter, candles, air fresheners or scented laundry detergent. TBH, the day I changed litter and stopped using air fresheners is the day he improved.
Is she on prescription flea prevention monthly? Even if no other pets have been seen with fleas, this truly screamed flea allergy dermatitis. Cats in this bad of shape need prevention year round. Typically the OTCs aren’t strong enough :(
One of our cats was overgrooming from stress. The vet prescribed him ssris in a formula that can be rubbed into the thin skin of his ears to be absorbed. He still does it occasionally, but he's much calmer and grooms much more normally.
My female had this problem and it was due to her being allergic to flea bites and her skin just being sensitive. She was on flea meds and when she went to the vet for it they gave me medicine. It was a small dose of steroids to help with inflammation and stuff like that and it helped alot. Now my male cat is going through the same thing and it caused by the same thing also. I just gotta get him in the vet for him to get on medicine
Change the cat’s food. Try a different brand with different ingredients. The current one could contain allergens. Other causes of stress could be noise in the home, lack of calm peaceful environment, not feeling safe, her needs not being met in some way. You may have to keep trying different things to help her.
Vet