Over-Grooming -- Please Help

Hi!

I adopted a 3-year-old sweet cat. Before she came home on Friday night, she was in a cage for about a year at a rescuer's house. She began exhibiting "cage stress" by over-grooming herself. I hoped it would go away once she was out of a cage, but it hasn't. I've been speaking to a vet who recommended Paxil (or similar). I'm concerned because long-term use may affect organs and was wondering if anyone had similar experience with OCD-like behavior.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Zoey

Zoey, this is really more of a behavioral question, so I'll move this to the Behavior Forum.

Hi, Villy over groomed too while she was in the shelter, and she carried on when I brought her home. She took a few months to stop altogether, but there are a few things that help:

When you see her over grooming, create a distraction, maybe drop some keys, or play with her to make her forget what she was doing.
Use a feliway plug in.
Get her a catnip plant. (this was suggested by a vet!) #

Villy's fur took a while to grow back, and when it did it was more fine and fluffy than the rest of her fur, but it's so great when it does.

You will get there, it's slow but you will.

Here's a pic of her with missing fur between her hind legs:



Not sure if you can see, but she did the backs of her front legs too after I got her home.

She's all grown back now though, 18 months on. Where's your kitty overgrooming?

Zoey overgroomed but hers was caused by allergies( food) and anal gland clot

Miss Arizona overgrooms something awful. We think she is allergic to something airborne, but the vet did first rule out food allergies (we did a hypoallergenic food trial) and stress (she suggested Feliway).

Thanks for all the suggestions. She's seeing a vet tomorrow, so we shall see.

Regards,
Zoey

PS: Sharky -- Your cat has my name!