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- Feb 8, 2014
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This may belong in the cat health forum, I don't know.
Ever since I got Byron (he's an almost 4 year old Domestic Shorthair) in December, he's had an issue with overgrooming and pulling his fur out, mostly on his back, near his tail. Otherwise he has absolutely no behavior issues; he's very loving, affectionate, loves to play, doesn't seem anxious, and no peeing or pooping outside of the litter box. I brush him every day, which he loves.
I thought the fur pulling was dry skin/allergic reaction to his diet (the shelter had him on cheap food), PLUS I wanted to get him on grain-free food, so I've changed his food to grain-free, and mostly wet food (I do give him dry on days that I can't be there to give his morning meal). He loves his food and has always eaten very well.
Changing his food didn't work. The vet told me she thought it was fleas, (but he never scratches himself, and he's an indoor cat!), so we treated for fleas. The behavior didn't abate, so she suggested maybe a UTI, and so I got him tested; nope, no UTI.
I thought maybe it was dry skin, so, taking the advice of another cat owner, tried rubbing his skin down with a hint of olive oil. This only made his fur pulling worse AND made the fur easier for him to pull out, so I haven't done that since. I've started adding just a bit of olive oil to his food, and he hasn't seemed to mind, but it hasn't had an affect, either.
I still suspect dry skin but I'm not positive of that. And if it is, I'm not sure what to do to help him. I brought up the idea of dry skin to the vet, since Byron does have just a bit of dandruff, and she dismissed my concern and suggested putting him on an anxiety pill (I am very wary of that. He doesn't seem anxious most of the time...)
He doesn't have bald patches but at this rate (I came home to find he'd pulled about 15 tufts of hair out today), he will. Has anyone else experienced this?
Ever since I got Byron (he's an almost 4 year old Domestic Shorthair) in December, he's had an issue with overgrooming and pulling his fur out, mostly on his back, near his tail. Otherwise he has absolutely no behavior issues; he's very loving, affectionate, loves to play, doesn't seem anxious, and no peeing or pooping outside of the litter box. I brush him every day, which he loves.
I thought the fur pulling was dry skin/allergic reaction to his diet (the shelter had him on cheap food), PLUS I wanted to get him on grain-free food, so I've changed his food to grain-free, and mostly wet food (I do give him dry on days that I can't be there to give his morning meal). He loves his food and has always eaten very well.
Changing his food didn't work. The vet told me she thought it was fleas, (but he never scratches himself, and he's an indoor cat!), so we treated for fleas. The behavior didn't abate, so she suggested maybe a UTI, and so I got him tested; nope, no UTI.
I thought maybe it was dry skin, so, taking the advice of another cat owner, tried rubbing his skin down with a hint of olive oil. This only made his fur pulling worse AND made the fur easier for him to pull out, so I haven't done that since. I've started adding just a bit of olive oil to his food, and he hasn't seemed to mind, but it hasn't had an affect, either.
I still suspect dry skin but I'm not positive of that. And if it is, I'm not sure what to do to help him. I brought up the idea of dry skin to the vet, since Byron does have just a bit of dandruff, and she dismissed my concern and suggested putting him on an anxiety pill (I am very wary of that. He doesn't seem anxious most of the time...)
He doesn't have bald patches but at this rate (I came home to find he'd pulled about 15 tufts of hair out today), he will. Has anyone else experienced this?
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