My cat keeps chewing on herself! Why?!?

Question

I have a 3 year old Turkish Van. Every so often, she chews areas near the base of her tail raw! It leaves bloodly little sores. She DOES NOT have fleas. She's an indoor cat and given Frontline every three months. PLEASE HELP!

Answer 1

It is not true that your cat has to have flees to chew on herself. One of my cats had the same problem, it was entirely psychological. Did you move house, did somebody move in or out, or do you have new pets? Turkish Vans are very sensitive and they sometimes respond strongly to changes in the environment. Show the cat to a vet. There is the possibility to put her on tranquilizers for a while.

Answer 2

Fleas may still be there. You and/or your vet can use a shedding brush to check for fleas and or their waste.

Sometimes skin allergies can play a big issue. It may be just regular seasonal allergies or it may be something in her food. A vet can check for certain allergies and help you pick the food for you that would be best suited for her. Also, she may even be allergic to the frontline! Make sure you talk to your vet - simple skin allergies can be solved - but they often remained undiagnosed while fleas are blamed.

Meanwhile - to help treat the sores you can get some Aloe Vera. Health food stores often sell the liquid kind that's 95-99% pure. Don't get anything under this. Aloe Vera kills bacteria, is a pain killer, helps with itching and other skin irritations and speeds healing. It can be used on open wounds - though it may sting for the first few seconds.

Aloe Vera is non-toxic and tastes really bad - which will help stop the chewing. Put it on once or twice a day until she is healed up.

I've had several animals with skin allergies and other difficulties and perfer Aloe Vera over antibiotic creams. A lot of the time the animal will try to lick the cream off once it's applied or even get it on their paws (in the case of cats) and become sick from it. Aloe Vera will not adversly affect them if taken internally. The worse it will do is make digestion easier and help any ulcers and heart burn.

Answer 3

I'd take her to the Vet.
She may very well still have fleas, but it's also possible that her anal gland is blocked.
They happened to one of my cats a few years ago.
She kept chewing at the base of her tail and dragging her butt on the carpet.
I knew she didn't have worms so I took her to the Vet, he told me her anal gland was blocked.
He opened it...it only took about half a minute and she was fine.

I have to warn you that if that is your cats problem just be ready.
The smell is awful with the gland is unblocked.
The Vet will put on a glove and insert a finger into the cats rectum to unblock it.
It takes just a few seconds and the cat won't be happy but will feel much better afterward.
Like is said just be prepared for the smell, it's not pleasant.

Answer 4

Frontline doesn't work all the time. Bring her to a vet. She most likely DOES have fleas.

Answer 5

If she is wide and she makes use of a catdoor, that would nicely be it. My Maine Coon lady had a raw spot on her lower back for a lengthy time period until eventually I found out that she become wayyy too tall for my tiny cat door.

Answer 6

The problem is that she might have flees you should give her a bath every week 1nce and also consult a vet to make sure I HOPE SHE FEELS BETTER AWWW=)

Answer 7

Your cat could have mange or another illness/irritation. I would bring her to the vet to be checked.

Answer 8

maybe it's a habbit.my dog does that at times.take her to the vet for the sores

Answer 9

take her to the vet. she could have worms, or ring worm or allergies, any number of things.