(Disclaimer I fully intend to take my cat to the vet I just would like to hopefully have some more information on what might be going on to avoid having to have multiple vet trips to try and find a solution)
My 8 year old cat Salem has recently been experiencing some concerning symptoms and I’m hoping maybe someone has some experience or insight. So in August he began having severe diarrhea after ingesting a different type of food while visiting with my parents (their cats food). The vet prescribed him hill science diet dry food and probiotics. His poop got back to normal and for a bit all was well. He lost the hair around both eyes. Then he became to scratch a lot and develop little bumps and scabs on his body. They’re mainly around his neck where he scratches, but they also go down his back. He is bathing constantly. He’s seemed a bit more neurotic lately too. His pupils are huge and he seems skittish and paranoid. He’s been overgrooming his whole life and licks neat patches of fur off his front legs. Sometimes he does it more or in other locations and it just seems to get worse and get better at random times. The vet said it was from anxiety with me traveling semi often for work and him having to stay with a sitter. Now I’m being to think it might be something else might be going on.
He’s been eating, drinking, and using the litter box normally. After a ton of research I have a few theories, but I’m not totally sure. One theory is that he might have feline hyperesthesia because I’ve noticed that his skin on his back tends to ripple and twitch. He also is very sensitive at the base of his tail and often chews there. He’s also always been very hyper and chaotic.
My second theory is that he’s allergic to chicken and his new hill science diet is causing this. He doesn’t like chicken so prior to this he only gotten chicken a few times a week in very small amounts. Now his dry foods main ingredient is chicken and he’s getting it daily. Maybe his previous overgrooming was caused by the small amount of chicken?
My third theory is that I’ve been unknowingly hurting him by burning candles and using mrs meyers fall scented cleaner. After researching this I’ve learned about all of the essential oils that are poisonous to cats. A few weeks ago I bought a fall scented mrs meyers spray and it has both clove and cinnamon oil in it. I’ve also been burning a pumpkin spice candle which probably has that too. I had no clue and I’m horrified. I’ve definitely burned cinnamon scented candles in the past but this is my first time using the Mrs Meyers cleaner so this definitely could’ve triggered it. Maybe this caused it?
I’m not sure what to do. I definitely plan to take him to the vet, but I honestly can’t afford to bring him to the vet multiple times for them to guess what’s going on and have me come back several times before they run tests. If there’s anything I could do at home to help I’d like to try that first. I’ve cut out the chicken in his food and quit using the cleaner and candles. I want to take good care of him so bad and I’m so upset and stressed over this. I just finished paying off the $700 credit card bill from his emergency vet visit in September. I feel like there are a thousand things I’ve been doing wrong and I’m so overwhelmed with this.
My 8 year old cat Salem has recently been experiencing some concerning symptoms and I’m hoping maybe someone has some experience or insight. So in August he began having severe diarrhea after ingesting a different type of food while visiting with my parents (their cats food). The vet prescribed him hill science diet dry food and probiotics. His poop got back to normal and for a bit all was well. He lost the hair around both eyes. Then he became to scratch a lot and develop little bumps and scabs on his body. They’re mainly around his neck where he scratches, but they also go down his back. He is bathing constantly. He’s seemed a bit more neurotic lately too. His pupils are huge and he seems skittish and paranoid. He’s been overgrooming his whole life and licks neat patches of fur off his front legs. Sometimes he does it more or in other locations and it just seems to get worse and get better at random times. The vet said it was from anxiety with me traveling semi often for work and him having to stay with a sitter. Now I’m being to think it might be something else might be going on.
He’s been eating, drinking, and using the litter box normally. After a ton of research I have a few theories, but I’m not totally sure. One theory is that he might have feline hyperesthesia because I’ve noticed that his skin on his back tends to ripple and twitch. He also is very sensitive at the base of his tail and often chews there. He’s also always been very hyper and chaotic.
My second theory is that he’s allergic to chicken and his new hill science diet is causing this. He doesn’t like chicken so prior to this he only gotten chicken a few times a week in very small amounts. Now his dry foods main ingredient is chicken and he’s getting it daily. Maybe his previous overgrooming was caused by the small amount of chicken?
My third theory is that I’ve been unknowingly hurting him by burning candles and using mrs meyers fall scented cleaner. After researching this I’ve learned about all of the essential oils that are poisonous to cats. A few weeks ago I bought a fall scented mrs meyers spray and it has both clove and cinnamon oil in it. I’ve also been burning a pumpkin spice candle which probably has that too. I had no clue and I’m horrified. I’ve definitely burned cinnamon scented candles in the past but this is my first time using the Mrs Meyers cleaner so this definitely could’ve triggered it. Maybe this caused it?
I’m not sure what to do. I definitely plan to take him to the vet, but I honestly can’t afford to bring him to the vet multiple times for them to guess what’s going on and have me come back several times before they run tests. If there’s anything I could do at home to help I’d like to try that first. I’ve cut out the chicken in his food and quit using the cleaner and candles. I want to take good care of him so bad and I’m so upset and stressed over this. I just finished paying off the $700 credit card bill from his emergency vet visit in September. I feel like there are a thousand things I’ve been doing wrong and I’m so overwhelmed with this.
