Pulling out fur/ update

sneakymom

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My 4 year old kitty Sneaky Pie has pulled out a bunch of her fur right next to her tail.
She did this around this time last year as well, only it was much worse. She had these big bald spots on the back of her legs where she'd pulled out fur. It got so bad I had to take her to the vet and she had to have a cortizone shot, which helped her a lot.
I'm taking her to the vet next week, the skin around the area that's bald is really flaky and dry. Last year the vet said that she probably had some sort of allergic reaction to the change in temp.
One thing I did do, though I'm not really sure if it's helping any, is I changed her food. She was eating the regular Science Diet, so I changed both the animals ( I have a 13 year old kitty as well) to the sensitive skin formula, he's had skin issues all his life as well. Is there anything else I can do as a home remedy to help her?
Also- update. My 13 year old kitty is still limping, we can't figure out why. It's worse some days than others. We may have to have some tests done to make sure it's not something worse (like a tumor). But he's still eating and drinking fine.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by Sneakymom

My 4 year old kitty Sneaky Pie has pulled out a bunch of her fur right next to her tail.
She did this around this time last year as well, only it was much worse. She had these big bald spots on the back of her legs where she'd pulled out fur. It got so bad I had to take her to the vet and she had to have a cortizone shot, which helped her a lot.
I'm taking her to the vet next week, the skin around the area that's bald is really flaky and dry. Last year the vet said that she probably had some sort of allergic reaction to the change in temp.
One thing I did do, though I'm not really sure if it's helping any, is I changed her food. She was eating the regular Science Diet, so I changed both the animals ( I have a 13 year old kitty as well) to the sensitive skin formula, he's had skin issues all his life as well. Is there anything else I can do as a home remedy to help her?
Also- update. My 13 year old kitty is still limping, we can't figure out why. It's worse some days than others. We may have to have some tests done to make sure it's not something worse (like a tumor). But he's still eating and drinking fine.
You may want to try some joint supplements .... It hasnt been proven in a lab format but I have been giving my 16 yr old some for over a year and the stiffys are gone.. try extra omega 3 and 6 for the skin.. this is my experience not a fact book
 

ktlynn

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Could be that your 13 year old kitty has arthritis. I agree with Sharky that supplements will help that. My 16 year old cat has been on glucosamine for a few years now, and it's worked wonders for her. You'll need to ask your vet what the proper dose should be for your cat (weight determines dosage). You can get gluc at any health food store. I use just plain glucosamine, no chondroitin or MSM.

The omegas are very helpful for skin problems. Salmon oil, made from the whole fish, is a good one to use because it contains more omega-3 fatty acids than those made from just part of the fish, like cod-liver oil. I used salmon oil for one of my feral kitties who developed irritated bald patches in his coat, and they healed up beautifully. I put 500 mg of salmon oil mixed into his food each day for about 10 days.

It sounds like your 4 year old cat could have allergies, especially since it seemed to happen the same time last year. Cortisone works wonders, but it's only temporary and you don't want to give it on a steady basis if you can avoid it.

You can't go wrong putting your cats on the purest, most natural diet you can. It will benefit their overall health, including allergies and/or skin problems. Science Diet, unfortunately, is not a high quality food. You want a food without by-products, or anything artificial, including colors and preservatives. Wheat and corn are also not quality ingredients. I recommend canned food over dry, it's closer to what a cat would eat naturally and dry food can contribute to urinary tract disease. Dry food also lacks moisture, which cats need. A few good brands to try are Petguard, Innova, Merrick, California Natural; there are many others.

BTW, love the name Sneaky Pie! Hope both your little ones feel better soon!
 

cloud_shade

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Is it possible that your kitty is allergic to fleas? We had a dog who would pull out his hair because of a single flea bite.
 

jcat

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Originally Posted by KTLynn

The omegas are very helpful for skin problems. Salmon oil, made from the whole fish, is a good one to use because it contains more omega-3 fatty acids than those made from just part of the fish, like cod-liver oil. I used salmon oil for one of my feral kitties who developed irritated bald patches in his coat, and they healed up beautifully. I put 500 mg of salmon oil mixed into his food each day for about 10 days,
This is the route we've been traveling with Jamie, who has had EGC. I gave him salmon oil capsules every day for several weeks, and now he's getting one capsule per week for maintenance. So far, so good. It's definitely worth a try.
 

esrgirl

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My cat Annabelle does that because she's allergic to fleas. We keep her on flea treatment, but sometimes it's hard to get every last flea. You might try flea treatment as well. I'm interested in trying salmon oil. Can you get that at any drug store or natural food store? How much do you give?
 

jcat

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500 mg is recommended as a daily dosage for cats. You can pierce the gelatine capsules and squeeze the oil over your cat's food. I've found the capsules in drugstores and even some supermarkets. One "side-effect" has been that Jamie no longer gets dandruff every spring when he's shedding.
 
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