Our Bengal is over grooming.

Hi All... newbie here.

Just thought I'd seek some input from the community of cat lovers / owners as our vets have thus far fleeced us to no benefit for our cat or indeed us over a recent development.

Peg is a lovely part bengal mix - at times feisty and characterful and at others gentle and affectionate.

She has quite recently started grooming herself excessively either side of the base of her tail and more recently still in a patch of her tail about 2 inches down from her body. The effect is that she has licked the hair off her body and has now got a small assortment of alopecia like patches where there is very little fur and she is not letting it grow back.

We took her to the vets 2 weeks ago and he checked her for fleas (we knew she had none) and skin disease (again none). He asked about her bowel movements and diet as he thought the grooming may be symptomatic of sensitive anal glands - and whilst she has had no change in diest he "expressed" these glands just in case there was any fluid build up. Again everything seemed fairly normal - but naturally we were charged for the proceedure. He wormed her (no obvious reaction) and gave us some expensive tablets to condition her coat (not used yet).

Since we saw him there has been no change - except the grooming has spread to her tail.

I gave her a front line flea treatment 10 days ago - but whilst she occasionally scratches under him chin - she has no obvious infestation of any parasites.

She doesnt react too badly when I touch or stroke the areas - certainly no more than she might have done when in a play fight with me. She doesnt seem to be in any noticeable pain...

We are at a bit of a loss - and whilst I am looking for work I'm very reluctant to take her back to the vet and get another fat bill when he seemed slightly clueless about it first time round.

One thing I has consdiered was that it might be an anxiety reaction.

She had a litter 18 months ago and we kept the youngest tom who had a lovely playful relationship with until his untimely death in June (run over whilst seemingly lost)...

It's difficult to take a rational view on the impact this has had on Peg - but we feel that certainly for a time she missed him very much and was listless - even depressed. The grooming started 2/3 months later - getting progressively worse.

We also had a problem with a faulty cat flap for a while - which meant that it was open to all the neighbourhood felines who duly visited nightly to empty pegs bowl and occasionally sleep over - and the occasional spat in the kitchen. This is now fixed and the usual suspects are no longer an issue - atleast not in the house.

I wondered whether anyone has had a similar experience or could suggest any possible remedies.

Truth is the problem is seemingly superficial - and only looks unsightly to us (see photos below)... but she is such a lovely animal with an unusually thick glossy coat - it seems a shame that she has holes in her coat and I guess we are slightly worried it will get worse (we dont want a shaven poodle!)

Any thoughts or insight would be most welcome.

Apologies for the epic first post...

Thanks in advance... Simon
(Bristol UK)

Gallery link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/simandy...7625426005546/

I think you should try a new vet. This one doesn't seem to be helping.

Have you considered a Feliway Plug to help calm her? Maybe she is having anxiety like you suggested.

Good Luck! I hope she feels better

Silly question is she now spayed?

What does she eat? Brands are constantly changing formulas even pre made raw has recently..

Have you ever expressed anal glands? It is not a fun nor appealing job and the fact the vet did it normally = s a charge... What wormer was given? ... Have you changed laundry soap , carpet cleaner( also had the carpets cleaned?)

Sounds to me this is a stress related issue... in between her depression with the loss of her pal and the nightly visitors of neighborhood cats due to the faulty cat flap... Feliway and Rescue Remedy could probably work to relax her...
I have to ask also though, is she spayed already? I hope she is not roaming intact?
In any event, I hope your little girl gets better soon

Thanks Carolina for input - and everyone else.

Yes she has been spayed after her litter (only 4 kits).

No change in cleaner or detergent etc

She currently eats IAMs dry (adult - fish flavour) and fairly regular wet food - Whiskas chicken etc

Not sure what wormer was used.

I combed her coar again today and no skin flakes or anything from problem areas.

Will certainly investigate rescue remedy and Feliway - and try and find a more reliable vet.

Any other recommendations welcome.

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by Carolina

Sounds to me this is a stress related issue... in between her depression with the loss of her pal and the nightly visitors of neighborhood cats due to the faulty cat flap... Feliway and Rescue Remedy could probably work to relax her...
I have to ask also though, is she spayed already? I hope she is not roaming intact?
In any event, I hope your little girl gets better soon

Click to expand...

Fish is considered a high allergen... Was this food introduced recently to her diet, or she has always been in it?

Can you link the dry you are feeding ? I have some difficulty finding the EU formulas at times...