At wits end with his scratching!

Gosh, it sounds like he's getting really good quality food, so that's not it. The steroids shut down the immune system, and stops the reaction, but I don't think it helps narrow down the source.

I have used this food supplement:

http://www.gardensalive.com/product....cd2=1195917014

with great results... provided the cat will eat it! Mine get it dusted over their dry food for every meal, and they have the softest coats, people exclaim over them.

It contains trace nutrients and B vitamins. I also use it for elderly cats who are having appetite diminishment and dry, over groomed coats; it does wonders for them.

Just a thought...

Originally Posted by glitch

Do you know what kind of a kitty it is?

Click to expand...

He is a Bengal.

We don't use anything on the carpet, except for the vacuum.

I think you should at least try the flea treatment, whether fleas have been found or not. One little bite from one little flea can cause a chain reaction of scratching and digging! At least give it a try, and then you can rule out flea allergy. I have a flea allergic kitty, and she does the exact same thing if she hasn't been treated.

So we started the flea treatment yesterday.
Of course, he freaked out and didn't like it at all...
He's also gotten way worse since this thread was originally posted.
If the flea treatment doesnt work, I don't know if I am going to be able to keep him.
The animal himself cost me a small fortune, and so have his vet bills thus far. I'm trying my damn best to care for him and provide a safe/healthy/loving home and its not working. I can't be around 24/7 to make sure hes not scratching or biting himself, and hes clearly incredibly depressed that he has to wear a cone. Its just not fair.
I'm so miserable.

Ohhh, Im soo sorry! Sending good your way! I know how much the vet can cost. I only had glitch for 4 months before he died (FIP) and he cost some massive amount of money also! Good luck to ya! Keep us posted!

So far, as the days go on, hes only getting worse.
He's started stepping in his mess in his litter box, or letting his bum hang out of the box and doing his job outside it.
If he isn't sleeping or eating or being petted, he wants to scratch.
Taking him back to the vet tomorrow, there HAS to be something we are missing.

One question...
Have you recently changed his litter and what type do you use? When I was a child we had a cat that was scratching around his face/neck, feet, etc and had a mild rash. Apparently he was allergic to the scented clay cat litter we used. We switched to unscented and he was fine.

Maybe ask the breeder what type she uses and if you are using something different, try an unscented variety or go back with the exact type the breeder uses and see what happens?

HTH,
Art

We've been using the same kind since we got him, Purina Max Scoop (unscented) with Arm and Hammer litter deoderizor....

^ I'm not familiar with that brand -I know purina does make tidy cat, so is it another type of scoopable clay litter?

You can look in the Care & Grooming section for threads about different litters and members personal reviews of them, if you want. But it certainly couldn't hurt to go with a very basic organic litter and leave the deodorizer out.

I spoke to a holistic vet this afternoon, and basically he told me that the licking/scratching could be a habit he picked up when he was moved here (from Ontario to British Columbia) and it was something he was doing out of stress from being on a plane/away from his littermates etc. Apparently, Bengals are a very high stress/high anxiety breed.
Now, he suspects it has become an OCD associated with the anxiety of being seperated from myself or my husband when we are working during the day/evening.
So, he suggested that we start him on anti-anxiety medication for two-three weeks and then see if that calms him to a point where he doesn't feel the need to be scratching himself all the time. Then, if this prooves effective, we slowly ween him off the meds...

*sigh* I'm so sad to see him like this, but I haven't decided 100% if I want to be giving him kitty prozac. It just seems so odd, but I really want him to feel better.

The holistic vet also reccomended Rescue Remedy, which we will start putting into his food and water. If that doesn't really help, I guess meds will be the only way to go.

If your vet thinks this is because your cat doesn't want to be alone, why not suggest getting him a playmate?

Well, my intial thought was... If I bring a new kitten into the house, that he/she may pick up these OCD habits that Louie has as of now.
Both vets agreed. (Holistic and practical) They said that as a LONG term solution, a friend would be the best idea so that he would have a buddy to comfort him, but that a new kitten wouldn't be something they would suggest at the moment.

Please don't feel bad about the prozac if that is what he needs. Many loving owners have had to go this route. You must love him very much to go to the trouble

Originally Posted by Bonnie1965

Please don't feel bad about the prozac if that is what he needs. Many loving owners have had to go this route. You must love him very much to go to the trouble

Click to expand...

UPDATE: Took Louie back to the vet a few weeks ago, he has been on anti-histamines before the vet would give him prozac... Just to 100% rule out any possibility of him having an allergy.
We are into week 3 of his medication, and there has been no change that I have seen at all...
So, we press on with the kitty prozac and we see if that makes a difference. If not, the vet suggested a 3 month detox time (to allow the medications to leave his system fully) and then she would refer him to a Feline Dermatologist for further testing.

Sigh. Poor baby.