Ok I haven't seen this question before so I am asking. I have a cat who is really nervous, she recently started plucking her hair on her back in one spot. There is not a rash, fleas are not present, I have used antibacterial cream to keep it clean. Unfortunately this does not keep her from plucking her hair out, she avoids licking the cream and plucks an area beside where the cream is located. I tried tape bandaging, that only lasted a matter of seconds. Any suggestions?
2006-11-27 07:16:47 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
I actually had a cat that did that. We would come home and she would be surrounded by a halo of hair. The vet finally diagnosed her as an obsessive-compulsive groomer. We opted not to put her on medication, but there are some options out there (like prozak). I don't know if you've had her to a vet yet or not, but unfortunately, the vet will probably insist on ruling out other causes (it is their job) such as those you listed above. It's also possible that she has some sort of internal problem that is bothering her and that is manifesting into external grooming. Simple bloodwork can proably rule this out. Depending on when she does this behavior, there are things you can try to keep her from doing it. For instance, if she does it when you are gone, it may be a nervous habit. Try keeping her in an enclosed room during the day (with water) to see if that eases her nerves. Try giving her more toys or things to occupy her time. You can also try spraying the spot with something bitter (non-toxic products can be purchased from the pet store), but since she's gone to another spot before, this might not be the best choice. You might also try a hypo-alergenic diet. It's possible she has dry skin and she has focused on one specific area--this can sometimes be remidied by a change in diet. Good luck, I know how frustrating it is!
2006-11-27 07:24:24 · answer #1 · answered by Stephanie H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd take her to the vet just to rule anything out. If it turns out to be a nervous habit, you can spray some Grannicks Bitter Apple on the spot where she chews. Bitter apple is made for animals who chew on their skin for a variety of reasons including anxiety and allergies, and basically it tastes really bad so the animals won't want to chew (the same idea as the stuff people use to keep from chewing on their fingernails). It is completely safe and it really works, although if it is a nervous habit, she may just switch to chewing someplace else, so you might have to spray a wider area, which is just fine.
2006-11-27 16:05:59 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My bird actually had something similar, it could be a skin infection such as scabies (which is what my bird had), best go to the vet and have it checked out for parasites and other things, my bird eventually started picking itself until it bleed.
2006-11-27 15:24:51 · answer #3 · answered by D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its either a spot thats itches or she just likes doing that
2006-11-27 15:20:03 · answer #4 · answered by jksmith1993 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋