Hair Loss.....

King is an 11 year old neutered male who has recently been compulsively licking his belly, hind legs, and front paw.. What can I do to get him to stop licking and get his hair to grow back?

There are several reasons why King might be doing this. Allergies are a potential cause of non-stop licking. Sometimes cats develop a sensitivity to some ingredient in the diet, which can result in licking. Feed the most natural food possible (no artificial ingredients, no byproducts), canned is preferable for the moisture it contains. A more natural diet can help calm the immune system and reduce the need to lick. Cats will also compulsively lick themselves when in pain (from arthritis, for example). Other causes are boredom and stress.

Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are beneficial for relieving dry skin and irritation. There are lots of fish oil supplements available, but you should ask the vet for a recommendation. I read about one called Eskimo Oil, available in drugstores and from some vets, that cats reportedly like.

If boredom is a possibility, tempt King with some new, interactive (example - "Da Bird" wand with feather toy, or Cat Dancer) toys. Try to increase his play times.

To be on the safe side, though, it's best to take King for a vet check-up to rule out food sensitivities, allergies or pain.

Hope you'll let us know how he's doing.

Thanks, I passed the info along to my friend and I'll you know what happened....

Originally Posted by Negs

King is an 11 year old neutered male who has recently been compulsively licking his belly, hind legs, and front paw.. What can I do to get him to stop licking and get his hair to grow back?

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Cats will lick if they are having abdominal discomfort,Kaya was doing this and had the runs ...he had a pancratic infection ,after that got treated he didn't stop licking,so I took him back to the vet and found out he had skin allergies so they gave him a shot of cortisone and that helped but the shot should only be given once a year.