HELP! Strange "hot spot" keeps coming back and vets aren't helping

My new little kitten Mazzy, whom I adopted from the local shelter has a spot just above/forward of her tail that keeps returning. It is really similar to a hot spot I have seen on dogs I've owned. It apparently becomes irritated and she begins to lick and chew on herself at this one location until it becomes raw and all the hair is gone - sometimes bleeds. She is an inside kitten and never has had any evidence of fleas at all. When i adopted her she had a spot on her, but they told me that she was covered in fleas when she was brought into the shelter. I've had a dog before with an allergic reaction to flea bites that acted similarly, but a trip to the vet for a simple steroid (cotizone i assume) took care of it. That dog lived to almost 18 y.o and had to do this maybe 3 times during its entire life. I brought my cat home In January of 07 and have had to get these steroid shots 3 times since then to stop this. It lasts about 6 weeks and then she starts licking and chewing on hersellf again in the same spot. I put antibiotic ointment and benadryl spray on the location, but that seems to barely slow it down. Anyone had anything similar to this? What can I do?

I suggest a medicated bath every other week.

I don't know what that could be. Does it seem possible that the "hot spot" could be *caused* solely by her licking behavior? I mean, for some reason she's licking it to the point of the rawness/irriation, which just causes her to bother it more?

Some cats will obsessively over groom from anxiety or stress.

I think I have read that they will "bother" their tail sometimes when there is an anal gland problem. If it can cause tail chasing, I would think it would cause the chewing/licking. Does she ever scoot on the floor after she poops? Has the vet checked her anal glands?

Have you tried putting bitter apple spray on the spot?

HOT spot common causes that I know of

Food allergy

Litter allergy

Dust allergy

Pollen allergy

Flea allergy...

ask about a antihistimine

A relative's cat has the same problem. In her case it is caused by allergies... unfortunately the cat is allergic to many different things, and tears and claws at her own fur, resulting in those patches. They've had to medicate the cat for years, with steroids, etc.

But since this is new, there's probably better hope in your case. I think the first thing to try would be an eight-week food trial. During that time you can feed the cat only an allergy food (either prescription from your vet, or the Natural Balance Allergy Venison & Pea formula, which is just as good and nearly identical). It's important to keep it going for at least eight weeks. If the spot doesn't go away during that time, then you'll know it's not a food allergy and can look for other causes.

Is the spot always in the same place? That's curious. Could that area be touching or rubbing against something? A plant, a rusty pipe... or maybe she is sitting or lying against something.