I don't know what else to do so I am turning to the internet for help , I thought I finally had this solved but no or at least I think...
I adopted a 5 or 6 year old tabby from a local rescue group about 6 weeks ago. When I first got her they indicated that she had a minor rash on her underside and were working to clear is up and they said moisturizer appeared to be doing the trick. Before I go any further let me give you her back story.
She lived with the same owner for the first 5 years of her life then her owner died and her family came in and cleaned out the apartment and cleaned her (Raven, the cat) out as well. They put her out on the street and there she stayed for over a month until she finally got picked up by someone and delivered to the rescue. While on the street it was theorized she picked up fleas and that's where the rash came from as I had seen flea dirt on her at one point though the rescue swore she did not have fleas as that is what their vet hat told them (This part is important so remember)
Okay to pick up where I enter the picture. I brought her home 6 weeks ago and the first two weeks were great she was happy would rest with me on the couch sleep in bed with me all that stuff, then by the third week I began to realize that "she" was causing these scabs and bald spots on herself, mainly on her stomach and on her front legs. I looked this behavior up and came to find it is called over grooming. After some reading I realized i needed to determine was i seeing over grooming related to a health issue or compulsive grooming due to stress. At first I thought perhaps she was allergic to fish since i was giving her tuna fish and that seemed to be worsening the issue so I found her a high quality fish free food called Canidae, She certainly loved this food but I saw no improvement so thought to try a food with only meat, no poultry. I found Natures Verity and this appeared to help at first but the behavior continued. I was then told by another rescue group it could be stress related from all the changes in her life. So I purchased a pheromone diffuser and hoped it would help, no dice.
Finally I doubled back to the flea dirt I had seen and decided to check her again as I was also feeling oddly itchy. I put her in the bath tub ruffled her fur and saw two tiny black dots, both which appeared to be moving after this I immediately gave her a bath which made her a different cat she was able to rest for the first time in I don't know how long. . So at this point I called the rescue and told them. The woman from the rescue brought me some medication, a pill, that she said would cause the fleas to jump off of her. After the bath and the meds she was doing great, grooming normally and leaving her stomach alone. But the next day she began to regress, exhibiting all of the same behaviors again. Licking biting sucking at her skin until she bled. So today I ran out and got her some front-line which the woman from the rescue said was the last piece of the puzzle, I was disregarding the fact I had already ordered some on amazon. So today I bathed her again and then administered the front line after she was dry. She appeared to be doing very well. then we both left the apartment so I could fumigate it. I put her in her carrier and we left for two hours to let the place air out. (I am worried the carrier may have been a mistake as it was one she was in before, during the time I suspected the fleas, this was stupid on my part and I hope the reason she had this most recent episode)
Now we are back have been for two hours and she has reverted back to the biting licking and the sucking of her problem spots even after the frontline was given. She has taken a few breaks, sleeping, one break was about ten minutes, then she was grooming again, and now she is sleeping again, which she did not do before but she is still going after these areas, pulling her fur out and licking her skin to the point of scabbing and drawing blood. I really don't know what to do at this point. I have done all I can think of, and Yes, I have taken her to the vet, Twice! I am truly at my wits end at this point. If the front line doesn't start to work and she does not start to recover I am really at the point where I may consider returning her to the rescue.
I am pleading for help here, I feel awful about this, she is such a sweet cat and her suffering is making me sick, Literally. I have been a dog person all my life and this is the first time I have ever had a cat. I even began to think maybe it is something environmental in my apartment making her sick and she would be better off somewhere else. I just don't know anymore.
It is sunday 1/12/14 for time Reference.
I adopted a 5 or 6 year old tabby from a local rescue group about 6 weeks ago. When I first got her they indicated that she had a minor rash on her underside and were working to clear is up and they said moisturizer appeared to be doing the trick. Before I go any further let me give you her back story.
She lived with the same owner for the first 5 years of her life then her owner died and her family came in and cleaned out the apartment and cleaned her (Raven, the cat) out as well. They put her out on the street and there she stayed for over a month until she finally got picked up by someone and delivered to the rescue. While on the street it was theorized she picked up fleas and that's where the rash came from as I had seen flea dirt on her at one point though the rescue swore she did not have fleas as that is what their vet hat told them (This part is important so remember)
Okay to pick up where I enter the picture. I brought her home 6 weeks ago and the first two weeks were great she was happy would rest with me on the couch sleep in bed with me all that stuff, then by the third week I began to realize that "she" was causing these scabs and bald spots on herself, mainly on her stomach and on her front legs. I looked this behavior up and came to find it is called over grooming. After some reading I realized i needed to determine was i seeing over grooming related to a health issue or compulsive grooming due to stress. At first I thought perhaps she was allergic to fish since i was giving her tuna fish and that seemed to be worsening the issue so I found her a high quality fish free food called Canidae, She certainly loved this food but I saw no improvement so thought to try a food with only meat, no poultry. I found Natures Verity and this appeared to help at first but the behavior continued. I was then told by another rescue group it could be stress related from all the changes in her life. So I purchased a pheromone diffuser and hoped it would help, no dice.
Finally I doubled back to the flea dirt I had seen and decided to check her again as I was also feeling oddly itchy. I put her in the bath tub ruffled her fur and saw two tiny black dots, both which appeared to be moving after this I immediately gave her a bath which made her a different cat she was able to rest for the first time in I don't know how long. . So at this point I called the rescue and told them. The woman from the rescue brought me some medication, a pill, that she said would cause the fleas to jump off of her. After the bath and the meds she was doing great, grooming normally and leaving her stomach alone. But the next day she began to regress, exhibiting all of the same behaviors again. Licking biting sucking at her skin until she bled. So today I ran out and got her some front-line which the woman from the rescue said was the last piece of the puzzle, I was disregarding the fact I had already ordered some on amazon. So today I bathed her again and then administered the front line after she was dry. She appeared to be doing very well. then we both left the apartment so I could fumigate it. I put her in her carrier and we left for two hours to let the place air out. (I am worried the carrier may have been a mistake as it was one she was in before, during the time I suspected the fleas, this was stupid on my part and I hope the reason she had this most recent episode)
Now we are back have been for two hours and she has reverted back to the biting licking and the sucking of her problem spots even after the frontline was given. She has taken a few breaks, sleeping, one break was about ten minutes, then she was grooming again, and now she is sleeping again, which she did not do before but she is still going after these areas, pulling her fur out and licking her skin to the point of scabbing and drawing blood. I really don't know what to do at this point. I have done all I can think of, and Yes, I have taken her to the vet, Twice! I am truly at my wits end at this point. If the front line doesn't start to work and she does not start to recover I am really at the point where I may consider returning her to the rescue.
I am pleading for help here, I feel awful about this, she is such a sweet cat and her suffering is making me sick, Literally. I have been a dog person all my life and this is the first time I have ever had a cat. I even began to think maybe it is something environmental in my apartment making her sick and she would be better off somewhere else. I just don't know anymore.
It is sunday 1/12/14 for time Reference.
