Cat over grooming

[Gothtrrash]

Hello! So I’ve been having this problem with my cat his whole life. It is off and on. My cat is named onyx and he would be constantly grooming his thighs, tummy, sides, and all legs. Every vet I’ve gone too says “fleas” gave me medication and sent me on my way. He never had fleas, nor have I ever seen him with fleas but I gave it a shot. Nothing worked.

I’ve even gone out of my way to move to a 3 level house because I thought our apartment was too small and causing him anxiety/stress. Nope, still pulling fur and biting skin. Other cat doesn’t have this problem (and they get along well/let each other be 90% of the time). I heard it could be food allergies so I switched them to grain free.. nothing changed.

i finally found a vet who said it was anxiety. He was able to set me up with10mg fluoxetine. It started working for a bit.. but now it’s making him throw up once in awhile. I’m going to try and make sure he has food 1 hour before his medication now.. but I noticed that his fur loss is starting to get just as bad as it was before starting the medication .. I don’t know if this medication is starting to ware off and I need to get some new ones.

has anyone dealtwith this before and have any tips?? I’m starting to think this is a forever thing for him. I saw a scab on his paw earlier today and I’m so depressed. I’ve spent thousands of dollars for vets to help me and I am at lost.

 

[CatladyJan]

Hello! So I’ve been having this problem with my cat his whole life. It is off and on. My cat is named onyx and he would be constantly grooming his thighs, tummy, sides, and all legs. Every vet I’ve gone too says “fleas” gave me medication and sent me on my way. He never had fleas, nor have I ever seen him with fleas but I gave it a shot. Nothing worked.

I’ve even gone out of my way to move to a 3 level house because I thought our apartment was too small and causing him anxiety/stress. Nope, still pulling fur and biting skin. Other cat doesn’t have this problem (and they get along well/let each other be 90% of the time). I heard it could be food allergies so I switched them to grain free.. nothing changed.

i finally found a vet who said it was anxiety. He was able to set me up with10mg fluoxetine. It started working for a bit.. but now it’s making him throw up once in awhile. I’m going to try and make sure he has food 1 hour before his medication now.. but I noticed that his fur loss is starting to get just as bad as it was before starting the medication .. I don’t know if this medication is starting to ware off and I need to get some new ones.

has anyone dealtwith this before and have any tips?? I’m starting to think this is a forever thing for him. I saw a scab on his paw earlier today and I’m so depressed. I’ve spent thousands of dollars for vets to help me and I am at lost.

It does sound like stress or anxiety. How long has Onyx been on Fluoxetine and did you discuss the side affects you are having using this drug?

 

[Gothtrrash]

It does sound like stress or anxiety. How long has Onyx been on Fluoxetine and did you discuss the side affects you are having using this drug?

Hes been on this for about 4 months now i believe. and yes! I actually just called them today and they said just make sure he has been fed 1 hour before medication to be 100% sure he doesnt have an empty stomach while taking his daily dose. I didnt really mention about how i think its slowly stopped working because i didnt came to that conclusion until after the phone call when i saw a huge scab on his arm/near his paw.

 

[Jcatbird]

Hey! You are not alone in this problem. Over grooming can have many causes. One flea bite is all it takes for an outbreak but also other factors can be the cause. Other skin issues can cause itching along with stress and allergies. Allergies are not always from food either! It can be fabrics, perfumes, soaps or clothes detergent. Anything that kitty is regularly exposed to can be the problem. Even things we might not think about like having a pest control company spraying our home each month. Try keeping records on things. What food Onyx ate, what happened in the house. Like you washed clothes or mopped with a particular cleaner and note which days Onyx seems to groom more. It takes time but you may start to notice that , hey, I wore my favorite perfume on the days he seemed antsy! Or, we had company just before Onyx started this grooming spree! Anxiety can be the cause so find a calming solution like using Feliway diffusers or putting Onyx in another room if having company makes him nervous. It may just be female company or may just be male company so keep detailed notes. Perhaps other animals scents are causing anxiety. Onyx can pick up their scent very easily. I know it’s complicated but keeping records and using a process of eliminating things for a time can really narrow it down or even pinpoint the problem. There are skin problems other than allergies that can be eliminated besides fleas too! Even plants and pollen can be a problem for kitties just like for humans. Try to stay calm and pass that on to Onyx. I use an air filter here for the kitties because we have some allergies too. Litter is another thing to check out! We had to switch to one with less dust! Don’t give up! I know others will be along with their experiences as well! Whenever Onyx is calm and not grooming, make that a time for extra attention and reward with lots of positive feedback! It helps. There is music online that is specifically geared to calming cats. It’s also worth trying!

 

[Gothtrrash]

Hey! You are not alone in this problem. Over grooming can have many causes. One flea bite is all it takes for an outbreak but also other factors can be the cause. Other skin issues can cause itching along with stress and allergies. Allergies are not always from food either! It can be fabrics, perfumes, soaps or clothes detergent. Anything that kitty is regularly exposed to can be the problem. Even things we might not think about like having a pest control company spraying our home each month. Try keeping records on things. What food Onyx ate, what happened in the house. Like you washed clothes or mopped with a particular cleaner and note which days Onyx seems to groom more. It takes time but you may start to notice that , her, I wore my favorite perfume on the days he seemed antsy! Or, we had company just before Onyx started this grooming spree! Anxiety can be the cause so find a calming solution like using Feliway diffusers or putting Onyx in another room if having company makes him nervous. It may just be female company or may just be male company so keep detailed notes. Perhaps other anima all’s meant are causing anxiety. Onyx can pick up their scent very easily. I know it’s complicated but keeping records and using a process of eliminating things for a time can really narrow it down or even pinpoint the problem. There are skin problems other than allergies that can be eliminated besides fleas too! Even plants and pollen can be a problem for kitties just like for humans. Try to stay calm and pass that on to Onyx. I use an air filter here for the kitties because we have some allergies too. Litter is another thing to check out! We had to switch to one with less dust! Don’t give up! I know others will be along with their experiences as well! Whenever Onyx is calm and not grooming, make that a time for extra attention and reward with lots of positive feedback! It helps. There is music online that is specifically geared to calming cats. It’s also worth trying!

Thank you! I will start taking notes on this starting tomorrow. Do you have any recomendations for cat litter? I am very interesting into finding litter with less dust now that you mentioned it. After doing a bit of research, i found that Royal Canin has a "calming cat" pet food prescribed by vets.. so i may call my vet and ask if they have any of those available or if they can prescribe me some so i can pick up at petsmart.

and speaking of taking notes, right now its quiet and i see onyx itching and grooming himself right now. its 10pm where i am at.. With the vets advice, i still gave him some flee meds today even though i didnt see anything.

 

[Gothtrrash]

Hey! You are not alone in this problem. Over grooming can have many causes. One flea bite is all it takes for an outbreak but also other factors can be the cause. Other skin issues can cause itching along with stress and allergies. Allergies are not always from food either! It can be fabrics, perfumes, soaps or clothes detergent. Anything that kitty is regularly exposed to can be the problem. Even things we might not think about like having a pest control company spraying our home each month. Try keeping records on things. What food Onyx ate, what happened in the house. Like you washed clothes or mopped with a particular cleaner and note which days Onyx seems to groom more. It takes time but you may start to notice that , hey, I wore my favorite perfume on the days he seemed antsy! Or, we had company just before Onyx started this grooming spree! Anxiety can be the cause so find a calming solution like using Feliway diffusers or putting Onyx in another room if having company makes him nervous. It may just be female company or may just be male company so keep detailed notes. Perhaps other animals scents are causing anxiety. Onyx can pick up their scent very easily. I know it’s complicated but keeping records and using a process of eliminating things for a time can really narrow it down or even pinpoint the problem. There are skin problems other than allergies that can be eliminated besides fleas too! Even plants and pollen can be a problem for kitties just like for humans. Try to stay calm and pass that on to Onyx. I use an air filter here for the kitties because we have some allergies too. Litter is another thing to check out! We had to switch to one with less dust! Don’t give up! I know others will be along with their experiences as well! Whenever Onyx is calm and not grooming, make that a time for extra attention and reward with lots of positive feedback! It helps. There is music online that is specifically geared to calming cats. It’s also worth trying!

AHHH. I just found some cat calming music and played it while next to him. He stopped grooming himself instantly? i'll try to do this everyday on top of letting him out the balcony more for some fresh air. Thank you. Small advices from anyone can go a long way!

 

[CatladyJan]

I had a cat that the vet said had mast cell tumors which histamines run rampant. This cat was not an over groomer, but it bothered me thinking of him itching 24/7. I have another cat that used to clean herself after we pet her but it was not to the seriousness you are having. Sadly, some of the things that are supposed to help our cats have side effects that are more problem some.

 

[Gothtrrash]

I had a cat that the vet said had mast cell tumors which histamines run rampant. This cat was not an over groomer, but it bothered me thinking of him itching 24/7. I have another cat that used to clean herself after we pet her but it was not to the seriousness you are having. Sadly, some of the things that are supposed to help our cats have side effects that are more problem some.

oh noo! I'm sorry hearing about that. Its so heart breaking knowing cats deal with these things.. I know its part of life, but cats are too good for this world to have anything bad happening to them. It breaks my heart. My vet did some bloodwork with onyx every time i bring him to the vet (I always for it because im concerned his fur loss is lead to something else). Luckily, the results always come out good so im just starting to believe is psychological alopecia. Things are still rough for him and i hate seeing what he has done to his fur and skin..him suffering makes me suffer as well.</3 hes 5 years old, turning 6 this feburary and its been on and off for THIS long. Sometimes I feel like im going to run out of options but I'm still trying.

 

[Jcatbird]

Sometimes it’s the little things that help! Keep up with the observations! Currently I am using the Fresh step, I scented, dust free litter. You may want to try that or even a clay type litter with no dust. There are lots of new litters in the market so try one for a couple of weeks and keep notes before switching again. If you change too many things at once you won’t know which one worked. Just wondering if the flea meds you use also kill the eggs? Babies hatch out very quickly and can still bite before you even see them. It’s the bite that causes the reaction so even one can start things but giving a med that breaks the cycle of new fleas makes a difference. Fleas are great little hitchhikers and can ride in on our clothes to take up residence in carpet, cat bedding or practically anywhere! I have started using the Victor flea traps and they are a great indicator to me if a few fleas have gotten inside. I work in the garden and I know that must be how they get in because my cats are indoor cats! The flea traps are simply a night light bulb in a plastic housing that has a sticky pad in the bottom. I turn them on at night ( great night lights!) and turn off overhead lights. They are attracted to the nightlight as they are very active at night. They get stuck to the pad so if I see even one, I know they are getting in and I get busy. A flea comb used on kitty over a white towel can help show up the fleas too! I love both methods! Mopping, vacuuming and washing all bedding often can get rid of those little pests if they get in! I hope something from someone here will be what is needed to end all of this for you and Onyx! Don’t give up! New options are coming along constantly.

 

[Emar]

Hello! So I’ve been having this problem with my cat his whole life. It is off and on. My cat is named onyx and he would be constantly grooming his thighs, tummy, sides, and all legs. Every vet I’ve gone too says “fleas” gave me medication and sent me on my way. He never had fleas, nor have I ever seen him with fleas but I gave it a shot. Nothing worked.

I’ve even gone out of my way to move to a 3 level house because I thought our apartment was too small and causing him anxiety/stress. Nope, still pulling fur and biting skin. Other cat doesn’t have this problem (and they get along well/let each other be 90% of the time). I heard it could be food allergies so I switched them to grain free.. nothing changed.

i finally found a vet who said it was anxiety. He was able to set me up with10mg fluoxetine. It started working for a bit.. but now it’s making him throw up once in awhile. I’m going to try and make sure he has food 1 hour before his medication now.. but I noticed that his fur loss is starting to get just as bad as it was before starting the medication .. I don’t know if this medication is starting to ware off and I need to get some new ones.

has anyone dealtwith this before and have any tips?? I’m starting to think this is a forever thing for him. I saw a scab on his paw earlier today and I’m so depressed. I’ve spent thousands of dollars for vets to help me and I am at lost.

My cat does this too, off and on, for no other reason. He has recently been prescribed buspar instead of fluoxetine (which severely sedated him past the adjustment period). He is impossible to get meds into so trying transdermal. I’ll update you as to how it goes...

 

[Gothtrrash]

My cat does this too, off and on, for no other reason. He has recently been prescribed buspar instead of fluoxetine (which severely sedated him past the adjustment period). He is impossible to get meds into so trying transdermal. I’ll update you as to how it goes...

Definitely let me know! My vet switched medication and decided to go down the “anti depressants” route and supplied me some pills for depression. Hopefully that will fix his fur pulling a bit more !