She licks obsessively. She's otherwise healthy - very full of beans and character, even more so than usual (she's 8 years old and a short-haired domestic). But I think she might have a mite or something. What's the best product - anybody have any similar issues?
2007-06-09 23:01:18 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
Maybe she's just trying to make herself look beautiful?
2007-06-09 23:15:03 · answer #1 · answered by habbohotelxowner 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cat Preening
2017-01-16 13:53:15 · answer #2 · answered by lonsdale 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like fleas to me! Classic symptoms!
Just pop out to your vet, or go online, and get a -proper- flea treatment - none of the over-the-counter stuff or flea collars because they just don't work. Frontline or Stronghold are both very good, and can be bought online.
You will also need to treat your home, as the flea life cycle means that they hop off your cat and onto your soft furnishings to lay their eggs, and the whole problem starts all over again. Pop into a pet store and you should be able to find a spray that you can use throughout your home to get rid of the pesky things!
If your cat is still scratching like mad within a couple of days of having been treated, take her to the vet to check for other causes.
Good luck!
2007-06-09 23:13:15 · answer #3 · answered by Cat 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is there any reason your cat would be stressed out or nervous all of a sudden. Or is she always this way?
My cat does the same thing, when it gets stressed or nervous.
He stresses over people visiting over night. Kids chasing him.
or the dog barking or chasing him.
These things don't happen all the time, but when they do, my cat licks, and licks and tears his fur out.
It could also be fleas, depending on where your cat is scratching himself, mites only attack the ears and you can't see them. If you see in the ears, what looks like coffee or chocolate dirt that's mites. (best way I can describe it)
Try the website I listed below it should help.
2007-06-09 23:17:42 · answer #4 · answered by CAT LADY LOO 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The condition your cat might have is called Obsessive Grooming Disorder. One of the cats that I owned from the time he was 6 mos. of age, developed this disorder after adulthood. He was a DSH, medium-sized neutered cat & was very healthy.
Grooming is a normal part of a cat's daily routine, they actually enjoy doing it. However, in some cats, it's taken to an excessive level & can become life threatening.
If your cat is grooming themselves to the point that they are actually licking the areas bald, then your cat needs medication therapy. There are several nutropic drugs that can help to deter your cat from overly grooming themselves.
After my vet outruled that there wasn't any "bugs" or other topical reasons thought to cause the excessive grooming, my cat was finally diagnosised with CGD.
My cat was on a several different medications over the yrs., one was valium. Your vet might also have your cat wear what's called a "hood"...plastic tubing that's put around the head that prevents the cat from having access to the rest of it's body. Looks funny & the cat definitely won't like it, but it might help to deter the cat from licking.
Sadly though, in some cases, even after medication therapy has been used, the disorder is so bad that only putting the cat down is the kindest thing to do for it.
That was the case with my poor cat. The medication therapy didn't help as we hoped & he wore the hood too. Finally after several mos. & running up thousands of dollars in vet bills & medication costs, I had no other choice but to have my cat put down. I hated to do it, I loved him very much...he was my best friend & companion. He was suffering, not having quality of life. Loving your pet isn't always enough, doing the kindest & responsible act for that pet should always come first.
You should most definitely have your vet check your cat for external conditions that might be in the fur &/or your cat's skin to outrule that to be the cause of your cat's excessive licking.
I wish you the best of luck with your cat.
2007-06-10 04:07:46 · answer #5 · answered by sabrinacatlover 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's more likely to be fleas. Unless you treat her regularly with a proper flea preventative (i.e something from a vets, not a store) I think this is the number one probability.
Go to your vets for some proper treatment You can get Stronghold/Revolution which treats fleas, tapeworms and ear mites, or maybe Frontline Plus which does fleas and ticks and treats the environment (something you will need to do if fleas are present on your cat)
Chalice
2007-06-10 00:14:23 · answer #6 · answered by Chalice 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
frontline spot on for cats. Get at vets, treat for fleas and mites, if she still over preens, could be a problem, stress related issues can cause excessive grooming, or hormone inbalance. check with your vet if the frontline doesnt do the job after a week from day of application.
2007-06-09 23:09:13 · answer #7 · answered by natc 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Excessive grooming is common in house cats--do check with your vet to see if she has mites or fleas (especially if your cat is scratching their ears). And many cats often have skin allergies. Sometimes a change of diet can be helpful (e.g. adding canned food if your cat only eats dry kibble), also making sure there is nothing that has changed that might be irritating her skin (e.g. new carpets, different brand of food, etc.). But do check with your vet.
2007-06-09 23:42:46 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
she may have developed an allergy. I had a dog that was fine until he turned about 6.. He then became allergic to fleas and certain foods. Best go to the vet and ask. It may be nothing but best to be sure
2007-06-09 23:07:47 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The most likely scenario is a food allergy which would make me believe that you are feeding dry food. canned foods w/o gravy is what is best. You should look for canned foods that do not have corn or gluten
2007-06-10 01:01:07 · answer #10 · answered by Ken 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋