my poor cat im gonna cry.......?

Question

once a year my cat loses his hair and scratches his skin and bleads and runs all over the house and crys....he does not have any flees at all...what else could it be?we thought changing his food helped and it went away for a year. but now its back and im puzzled the vets wont tell us nothing they thought it was the flees last year but he doesnt have fleas now so it couldn't be that either..please help someone I dont want to see my poor kitty suffer like that anymore....

Answer 1

It could be flea allergy - if the cat is unusually sensitive it may only take one bite and you might never see the flea. There are also inflammatory conditions that flare up on a seasonal basis - though truth be told I usually see them in the spring. If you have a kitty dermatologist available (yes they really exist) that may be a good option; generally if empiric treatment for 'obvious' conditions doesn't work the next logical step is a skin biopsy *before* any dramatic treatments are tried. Good luck - these can be very frustrating to work with, and even good vets often have trouble tracking down the cause.

PS - It sounds like allergy but don't overlook infectious or contagious causes - Bartonella, skin fungus, skin mites etc.

Answer 2

My dog did the same. It doesn't nessesarily have to be fleas, though that's the most common cause of what you're describing. Even one bite, though it would kill the flea if he has flea treatment on him, can still throw the cat into a severe allergic reaction. However, there are other things that animals, cats included, can be allergic to. It could be a certian type of pollen from a flower or something, or mosquitos, or even dust mites, though why he would have a stronger reaction now than the rest of the year, I don't know. You need to ask the vet to do an allergy check, and not just for fleas. Your cat definately seems to have an allergy problem, but the to what question is still there. If your vet won't do an allergy check, ring around, talk to a few other vets, tell them what's happening, what they've done in the past and what they've diagnosed, until you find a vet that will do an allergy test for you. They should also perscribe an antihistimine pill for him to take as soon as he starts to show any signs of loosing his hair. Regardless of what his allergy is; it should help reduce the reaction to it.
Good luck for you and your kitty, hope he gets better soon.

Answer 3

Best thing to do is can the vet you have now and make an appointment with a new vet.
There are so many possibilities as to the cause of your kitties problem, from pollin to something being tracked into the house from your lawn or garden.
Heat this time of year could also be a problem if kittie goes outside.
Does the kitties skin look pink and irritated, there is a possibility that the kittie gets exema this time of year, that will cause him to scratch and whine. This can affect both indoor and outdoor cats.

Good luck, hope you can find the cause of kitties problem.

Answer 4

Cats have sensitive skin and can be allergic to many things. Get a second opinion from a Vet. Look for a vet that went to a good school and has been praticing for many years. Good schools (UCDavis, Cornell, WSU are examples).

My cat occasionally scratches certain areas raw and he is indoors and doesn't have fleas. Usually if I see him itching excessively, I will give him a bath with special medicated cat shampoo to reduce itching.

However, you poor kitty sounds like she is really suffering. Make your vet test her for mange, flea allergies and other allergies. If your vet won't, find one who will.

Answer 5

There are good answers here about what might be wrong, what you might do and I hear your cry that you want to do something to help your cat in his misery

Please, please go as soon as possible to a health foods store and get the Bach flower essence called Rescue Remedy. People use the remedies and they will have NO adverse effect on your cat.

A little bottle is about $18 with tax, You shake the bottle well and apply three or four drops to the cat's fur between its ears. Use it LAVISHLY, three or four times daily for as long as he is distressed.

This is something you can do RIGHT NOW and it should give him some relief of the emotional stress associated with his condition.

It is not a CURE, only for his emotional distress.

You must continue to search for a veterinary opinion as to how to "cure" his medical problem.

Answer 6

Try to find a vet in your area that specializes in allergies for a second opinion.
Better, you may want to make an appointment with a holistic vet. They try to discover and treat the cause of the condition, whereas traditional vet medicine (like our doctor's are trained0 treats the symptoms.
Your cat sounds like he's got a serious seasonal allergy, which would be why it's once a year.

Best wishes.

Answer 7

It could be mange....take him to a different vet....someone should be able to help you. If anything, perhaps your cat can get supportive care at the vet until the episode passes. I know how you feel....I have 3 cats and would not want to watch them suffer. Like I said, get another opinion and another until you find someone who can help you. A cat shouldn't lose that much hair and be in that much misery...and not have a reason for it. Good luck.

Answer 8

My dog had similar problem but not to that extreme and it happened once a year. After going to the same vet for years with no help we changed vet and he sent us straight to a dermatologist. My poor baby is allergic to everything under the sun and now he is only allergy shots and doing better, so I suggest switching vets and seeing a dermatologist.

Answer 9

Your cat is probably allergic to the saliva that fleas leave in him when they bite him. My cat has the same thing every year on his ears and the top of his head. It makes him itch like mad. Bring your cat to the vet. They will prescribe some sort of flea medication and probably give him a cortizone shot to help the itching. Even if you don't see any fleas its likely that he still has them.

Answer 10

it sounds like your kitty has allergies. ask your vet about an antihistamine for her. if the vet is no help, research it on line.
try www.drsfostersmith.com. they have a wide range of pet supplies. in the mean time try giving her an oatmeal bath. it will sooth her skin and help reduce the itching. good luck!