CAT- constant licking, fur loss, red, first on stomach now on legs...no sign of eggs/fleas?

Question

My cat, "baby" has been licking herself until she licks off the fur completely and the area becomes red and raw. She started doing this in her lower abdomen, between her legs...then stopped and moved on to the inside of one arm then stopped and moved on to the nearly symmetrical side of the other arm...she licks the areas constantly and is clearly bothered by them bc when you tell her to stop or call her name she contineus to do it. I have seen no signs of eggs or anything. At first i thought it was her litter bc it was only the bottom part of her body which would touch litter...but that didn't change anything. I went from clay to pine. I have been feeding her purina dry food and her mom - my other cat- they have the same diet and "mom" has no problems. What could this be? Can I try anything at home first BEFORE bringing her to a vet?
She seems happy and healthy otherwise and is eating/drinking/going to the bathroom like normal and is in a good mood!
Thanks!!!

Answer 1

You should take her to the Vet to be safe. It sounds like she may have some type of skin diesease.

Answer 2

You won't see flea eggs, they're too tiny. Comb her with a proper flea comb (teeth are very close together) and see if you can see little black flakes or specks in the fur on the comb. This is flea dirt (poo). If you don't treat your pet with veterinary flea treatment she is likely to have fleas, even if she's an indoor cat - fleas come into houses too!

It does sound like flea allergic dermatitis, a nasty condition but easily treatable with the right flea medication from your vet.

There's nothing you can do before going the vet, because you need to go to the vet to find out what the diagnosis is in the first place. Until you know the cause you can't possibly know the treatment, and no one on here can tell you what the problem is because we haven't seen the cat!

Please take her to the vet asap, it should not be expensive to treat - unless you leave it for too long and her skin becomes infected.

Chalice

Answer 3

You really don't want to mess around with trying things at home...there is too much to cover!

Skin problems can be caused by a lot of different things that require a lot of different types of treatments.

Fleas ARE a possibility, even if you don't see any. You're usually not able to detect fleas on your pet until the pet is pretty infested. If the pet's allergic to fleas, one flea can cause her agony.

Your pet could also be allergic to something else in the environment, even if nothing's been changed. Like people, pets can develop allergies. (to just about ANYTHING!)

Mange is another thing that could be going on, and one form is contagious to other pets as well as to people.

Ringworm is a possibility and is also contagious to other pets and people.

Most skin problems are very irritating and spread over more and more area if they aren't stopped. The irritation, of course, makes the pet want to lick and scratch. The licking and scratching destroys the skin's natural barrier and irritated skin often becomes infected. Sooooo, now along with whatever problem you HAD, you might have an infection, too.

Metabolic problems can cause hair loss and skin problems as well. I know you don't want to hear it, but this kitty really does need to get to a vet. The problem will likely get worse until it's treated, and severe skin problems usually take longer to clear up and require more treatment. (that often means you spend more, too)

Answer 4

It does sound like an anxiety related issue. Please do not put anything on your cat's fur. Regardless of what it is, cats are compulsive when it comes to grooming. It's more important to them that how it may taste. Imagine, slathering your cat in some solution, they feel compelled to clean, lick their entire body and now become ill because they have ingested all this crap you put on their coat. My sister's cat was doing this when my sister was not at home as much as she was before. The vet gave her some anti-anxiety medication and I suggested to my sister to make sure she spends quality time with the cat. In the end, she is much better and has stopped the nervous licking. Has your friend changed anything in their regular routines, have they moved? Look at the environment too. I would still suggest a visit to the vet, they will be able to help the most and your friend can give details to the vet along with following up on what is working and what isn't.

Answer 5

Many people are so reluctant to call a vet for advise. In this case, I urge you to call your vet. Then, the vet can determine if this is a behavior problem or a medical problem. Good luck with the kitty.

Here are some URL's (below) regarding the cat excess licking fur problem. Maybe, you can get some answers.

Answer 6

Most cats that over-groom to the point that they pul chunks of fur off do it for several possible reasons:
1. Allergy from allergens in the air and environemnt (dust mites, pollen, fleas, etc) or from their food (usually from grains or certain types of protein).
2. Stress. Over-grooming (licking and licking themselves) is a compulsive disorder that is often triggered by stressors in the cat's environment: a new pet, a new baby, change in domicile, change in routine, etc.

You need to find out what is causing your cat's over-grooming (allergy or stress) so that you can begin to take steps to correct it. If it is food allergy, many cat parents have had grreat success by a simple change in their cat's diet to food specifically designed for kitties with food allergies. If it is stress, your cat may react positvely to cat "feel good" pheremones like "Feliway" which you can buy at pet stores.

Answer 7

Even though at this time the other cat is not affected, I would definitely call a vet. It sounds like ringworm, mites, or some kind of skin disease. If kitty is ingesting all of this fur, you are going to have a very sick kitty, not just bald.

Answer 8

I had that happen on my dog, and though I don't think it would be the exact same thing, I think it's worth thinking if it might be some allergen causing that? Our vet gave her doggy antihistamines, but that I'd say you'd need to speak to a vet for, perhaps call your vet and ask them without going in, to see if going in is really needed?

Answer 9

your best bet is to call your vet

Answer 10

it really does sound like an allergy...