12 year old pulling out tufts of fur

I have a 12 year old Manx- socialized feral. The last month and a half, Stryker has been pulling out tufts of his fur. He has been bathed (that was fun) then when he was dry he was treated with Frontline. He has been to the vet for just a routine exam and I also had him scraped for possible skin disorders- nothing...

I know that sometimes cats pull their hair out as a response to pain, but his blood work all came back within normal ranges. The vet even said he was one healthy, stocky looking cat. Any idea what I might have missed. In the entire time we have had him he has never done this. Also, and thank you Slave_2Ragdolls for reminding me, but I did do a gradual diet change, and it did not stop the behavior. My cats eat a combination of Royal Canin Outdoor Blend and Chicken Lover Cat Food as well as canned food.

Exactly where on his body is he pulling out fur? Manx-type kitties often seem to have lower back/hip pain and at his age, I would be surprised if he didn't have some arthritis going on.

Cats tend to hide arthritis pain very well. Most times, they just stop moving as much, and start sleeping more. Weight control is helpful (less stress on the joints); a warm bed/heat lamp over where he sleeps can help; and glucosamine/condroitin-type supplements help some cats.

It's really tough to find a safe pain medicine for cats. Steroids have a bad rap, but in fact cats are very steroid-tolerant, according to feline veterinarians I've interviewed. An every other day dose, at the lowest dose possible, would be the norm. Ketoprofen is also sometimes used off-label in cats for arthritis relief (it's approved only for dogs).

amy

He is pulling it out the middle of his back. I wondered about arthritis because when he walks now, his back legs looks like he is walking on tip toe- if that makes sense?

Grabbing you while you are here-*G* and thanking you again for doing this!

and I agree, to me this sounds like back pain. Poor baby...

Might try offering him some heat therapy in his bed--a hot water bottle (buffered with a towel) to snuggle against might ease the pain a bit. A veterinary chiropractor might help, too.

amy