15-yo Female Pulls Clumps Of Hair Out

[WarEagleBubba]

I have a 15YO neutered long-hair female who's been with me since December 2003 when she was 6WO. It was just the two of us for the first 4 years then a girlfriend moved in for the next 5 years. After the girlfriend got the boot, my cat and I were alone again for 2 years (2013-2015). I got married in late 2015 and my cat and I moved into my wife's huge house in another city. Where we lived previously, she was outside everyday and only came in at night. The other cats in the neighborhood didn't dare mess with her - she was a hole terror when threatened! But when we moved here she became afraid to stay out. Even though there are no cats whatsoever, she's scared.

After we'd been here a year or so, she started pulling chunks of hair out. Our vet tested her and said it wasn't hot-spots, food related, rashes, or dry skin. The vet thought it was anxiety related.

She pulls it from any place on her body she can reach. She does it day and night, but not constantly. There are two places she does it:

1) In the pre-dawn hours just outside our closed bedroom door where she waits for me to wake up and come out. No matter what time I get up, she's there. Even if my wife wakes up before me, the cat will wait outside the door. The clumps are all around - every morning.

2) At night in our den where we watch tv and I prop my feet on an ottoman. The cat lays on the ottoman and when she grooms herself she pulls out the chunks.

She doesn't do it during the day while she sleeps in her favorite chair or anywhere else. She doesn't do it anywhere else, either.

Is she stressed from my having moved her? Is she mad at me? My (newish) wife is NOT a cat person and she's p.o.'ed. HELP!!!!!!

 

[WarEagleBubba]

Okay, the profile photo is meant to be funny...

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Sorry about your senior girl pulling out her fur. Even before you mentioned the vet's diagnosis, I was thinking stress.

My first thought is to keep your bedroom door open at night, so your cat can sleep on the bed if she wanted to. But with your wife not liking cats, I doubt that's an option.

Did the vet have any suggestions? Maybe Feliway? Or calming treats? Or something prescription?

TCS has some articles on cats and stress. I'll post the links, as there may be some tips for you.

Is Your Cat Stressed Out?
You, Your Cat And Stress
Potential Stressors In Cats - The Ultimate Checklist
Six Surefire Strategies To Reduce Stress In Cats

BTW, please post a pic of your girl, if you can. It's always nice to see the furry face of the cat we're discussing.
How To Add A Picture To Your Forum Post

 

[Norachan]

Hi WarEagleBubba

Yes, it does sound like stress. One of my cats goes through periods of over grooming herself until she is bald.

Our vet suggested Zyklene. You can buy it online. It's just a powder you sprinkle over their wet food so it's easy to give them.

Zylkène - A Natural Choice for Behavioural Support.

Grooming is a cats way of soothing herself, so it makes sense that she does it while she's waiting for you or while sitting next to you. It's like she's thinking,

"Great, he's here now. I can relax and groom myself"

She might find it soothing if you groomed her. Have you tried brushing her while you sit together and watch TV?

Try that and see if it makes any difference.

 

[WarEagleBubba]

Rubysmama, thanks for the articles! The stress behavior checklist has several causes that I hadn't considered. A few are so obvious that I feel stupid for not thinking of them:

- before we moved here, the neighborhood's feral cat (now neutered and relocated) sprayed outside several houses, including ours. I smelled it immediately, so my cat certainly did. This explains her anxiety about staying outside for more than 30 minutes at a time

- she slept with me for years and now our bedroom is off limits because she sheds so much (and she's white).

- my stepson visits from time-to-time and brings his friendly Lab along. The Lab wants to play with my cat, but my cat's afraid. Plus, my wife dearly loves the Lab and it's welcomed in and allowed to roam inside

- our new home is cavernous compared to my house, and it has hardwood floors throughout whereas mine was carpeted throughout.

I'll stop there. Below is a photo of my baby, "Goober Kitty."

George "WarEagleBubba" Blanks

 

[WarEagleBubba]

Norachan, my cat only eats dry food. Ive tried unsuccessfully MANY times over the years to get a pill in her mouth. The thought of doing that daily to calm her nerves kinds unnerves me! Any suggestions???

 

[WarEagleBubba]

Norachan, my cat only eats dry food. Ive tried unsuccessfully MANY times over the years to get a pill in her mouth. The thought of doing that daily to calm her nerves kinds unnerves me! Any suggestions???

Hey, y'all, I have to go now and won't be back on for many hours. Thanks for your suggestions - I'll check back...and post a new profile, this time of Goober Kitty!!! ~ George

 

[Norachan]

Norachan, my cat only eats dry food. Ive tried unsuccessfully MANY times over the years to get a pill in her mouth. The thought of doing that daily to calm her nerves kinds unnerves me! Any suggestions???

You could try mixing the powder with a little bit of water or cat treat milk and syringing that into her mouth.

Does she refuse canned food? Most cats will accept a little bit of some really good quality canned. Another option is Gerber's Stage 2 Baby Food, plain chicken or meat flavours. (Make sure it doesn't contain any onion or garlic)

This is commonly known as Kitty Crack, very useful when trying to get a cat to swallow a pill or getting a sick cat to eat.

It would be a good idea to ask your vet what they suggest too. With older cats any changes can be indicative of other health problems, so take her for a check-up.

 

[danteshuman]

I think your girl needs one dog free room. I also think all the extra cat trees and shelves you can give her, so she can safely observe the dog, would help. You can use an enzyme cleaner outside. Cat urine smells to them months later, even after the rain. If you buy a black light you can see where your house has been marked. Also there are things you can do to make your yard less appealing to feral cats. I think I would try zyklene and if that failed an anti-anxiety medication

I would also let her sleep with you, if you could. One of my cats would be heart broken but adjust to not sleeping with me. The other one would have a panic attack! I have a 'love me, love my cats' attitude. However logically you can tell your wife if she wants to see less fur, let the cat sleep with you. Buy a white comforter and her hair will blend They sell vacuums that are great at picking up pet hair and those sticky tape wand things. I just was the bedding more often.

 

[basschick]

you say she slept with you for years but now isn't allowed to AND she sits waiting for you at the bedroom door. all is not well in your cat's world to be separated from her human companion. you are her friend, her family, her constant in her new home, but you're not longer available to her for hours every night.

like danteshuman, i, too, have a "love me, love my cats" attitude.

 

[Hellenww]

A 15 yr old is like a 78 yr old human. That is a lot of changes and stress. You've gotten great advise.

Is your wife open to taking a look at the world from Goober Kittys point of view? A little old lady thrown into a new home, surrounded on all sides by scarey smells, cut off from her only family for at least 1/3 of her life, with occasional invasions by a giant puppy.

 

[rubysmama]

Awww... pretty little Goober Kitty.

I hope you can find a solution to making both ladies in your life happy. At least your wife will understand why you need to make changes, so hopefully she'll be open to some compromises so your furry lady can be happy too.