Kitty won't stop itching her neck.

[cynbarrie]

I'm not sure exactly where this thread should go, but this seemed like the best place... 

My 7 month old kitty, Monkey, seem to be constantly scratching her neck. She has been itching her neck for about a week now (that I have made note of anyway) and the past few days it seems to be constantly. I took her color off last night thinking that may be what was itching her, but she continued to to scratch. I have had a color on her from the day I got her 5 months ago, so she is very used to it now, but her scratching her neck and jingling that bell just drove me nuts last night lol 

I don't think its fleas,
1: because she never goes outside

2: my roommate's cat had fleas at one point years ago along with another pet of hers, and she says "Fleas come and find me, they attack me more than my pets." and she gets a pretty bad reaction to them as well.

I've actually only given her 2 baths in the past, one cuz she got poop on herself and another time where she got herself really dirty.. she do not like it so I only bathe her when I think she needs it.. 
Could a bath make her itch less? could she just have some skin cells or something that need a scrub to make her feel better?

Or could it be her food?? 
I recently switched her food to a higher quality than what I was giving her befor. I was feeding her a generic Kerkland (costco) brand and now she is on Iams Kitten food.. 
could she be reacting to something in her food?? My boyfriends dog has a problem like this, he can't have any grain or he will itch like crazy, they actually give him a benadryl every morning and evening for this problem, and give him special food. 
If this is the problem, what could be causing her allergy, could it be grain like my boyfriends dog? and what food should I try to help lessen this?

Thank you for taking the time to read this, anything helps

 

[skylarbear]

Cynbarrie,

What is she sleeping on? Is she exposed to any other chemicals such as carpet fresh, the powder you sprinkle before you vacuum. Maybe you spray febreze or maybe she is having a reaction to the dyes in her bedding or play areas. For instance, if she has one of those kitty towers and the carpet it is made from has been treated with something. Just some ideas. I am an allergy person and allergy kid so I am very sensitive to environmental factors and allergins. I hope this helps.

Skylar's Grandma

 

[ritz]

It is not that uncommon for cats to have food allergies. It can be difficult to determine what it is they are allergic to: it can be anything from Carrageenan to grain to potatoes to wheat to chicken.
You said you switched her to Iams: wet or dry?
I would try to feed her a limited ingredient food (wet) and/or one with a novel protein--one she has never had before like rabbit or venison.
This thread addresses grain free limited food. And this thread is about allergies. And finally an article about allergies.

It could be some new detergent or cleaner you've used: any changes like that occur?

 

[cynbarrie]

She sleeps with me every night, mostly on me or on my pillow. she has done this since I first got her. 
Anything that I use I have used around her for as long as I we have been together, I occasionally use Febreze on my clothing but nothing else. We do not uses a lot of chemicals in my apartment my other Roommate is studying Environmental Science and she does not like us to use chemicals to clean anything.. 
Her cat tree has been the same for months, its a little chewed on now but I haven't changed anything. 

I know some allergies can develop over time, but the toys and blankets and things she's around I don't think have caused this itching. 

I feed her Dry food, later today I am going to compare the bags of food (She stopped eating her old food because she discovered that my Roommate's cats food taste better, so I still have the bag.) and see if there is any difference in the ingredients. If it is infact a food allergy I would assume the different ingredient would be causing it....  Right? lol

 

[skylarbear]

Do you use perfume? Maybe perfume on your wrist or hand lotion may cause irritation when you pet the cat. Just an idea. Two other environmental factors you could eliminate - your hand soap or perfume.

Skylar's Grandma

 

[cynbarrie]

I do use a lotion, but not often. I will try to go a few weeks without using it to see if that could be it. 
I did change my shampoo about a month ago, and she does sleep right next to my head most nights, I think its called Clear. I hope its not the shampoo cuz it's the only one I have found that doesnt make my head itch haha

 

[fleabags mom]

 
I don't think its fleas,
1: because she never goes outside

Heya.. cats that don't go outside doesn't mean they don't get fleas. Have you given her some flea meds? Worth a try I'd say... Have you seen any black, tiny dots on her skin, or felt any bumps? I just think it's worth eliminating that possibility too.

 

[cynbarrie]

I am currently at school (college student) but I will check her later today. 
I know it is entirely possible for me to bring them home, but since she sleeps so close to me at night, on me most nights, I would think that they would get me too.. 
and my roommate has said before, she attracts fleas. 

But to be extra sure I will check her tonight, I haven't felt any bumps at all, but i have no checked her fur yet. 

 

[skylarbear]

Hmmm, interesting. Please keep us updated with any resolution that may crop up to this mystery. It may be worth the time to search the web to see if anyone else has had a similar issue. -skylars grandpa

 

[cynbarrie]

I just got home a little while ago, when I walked in Monkey was sleeping, she played with me for a good 20 minutes without itching herself. but when I stopped she went into a bit of a itching fit... she scratched her ears a whole bunch and then would quickly quickly lick her chest and arms. One of her ears would stay flat and then she would scratch it a bunch and rub it on the floor. She looked super uncomfortable. 
She has stopped her little Itching panic, but she has been scratching her ears and head, and now she is grooming herself all over and every so often she will nibble on a spot. 
I did check her furr, and I did not find anything. Her itching has been mostly localized around her head and neck, but she has occasionally nibbled or scratched her leg or side. 

She really behaving Like my boyfriends dog, when one of the kids(3 & 6 year old nephews) feeds him a cracker on accident. 

I just compared her two foods, the one i am feeding her now has Dried Beet Pulp and her old food did not, other wise they were identical. Her old food said it contained Whole grain brown rice & white rice and the new food said Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, I'm not sure at all how different those two things are.. but those were the only differences... 
 

 

[skylarbear]

Interesting. What is the name brand and product name of Monkeys New food and old food. I've been reading some other threads on other cat owners having the same issues as yours and they've been having some luck when they change brands.

 

[cynbarrie]

Her old Brand was the Kirkland (costco) Brand Kitten food "Super Premium Maintenance Cat Complete Cat food."The bag stated it was a kitten/cat food, it never gave her any problems, but after a few months she just got bored of it and wouldn't eat it. Her new Food is Iams Kitten food, the Proactive life blend.. (Idk if they make any other blends of kitten food, but that is all our local fred meyer had) She loves it, she has stopped eating my roommates cats food.. But that is the only thing that has changed in her environment the past few weeks.

 

[finnlacey]

Grains are notorious for doing this to cats. Try a high quality grain free food.

 

[cynbarrie]

That is what I am thinking about doing, It's finding one that is in my budget that is the tough part.. I think Ill bounce over to the nutrition page and see if i can find anything there. 

I have read a few places that cats can be alergic to Chicken, is that true? And if so do any of you know of an alternitive brand that uses diffrent meat, at an affortable price? 

I'm In college right now, I'm sure all of you understand lol 

 

[harrysmom]

Allergies would be my first guess. Both my cats and I have a list of allergies.

Many of the first allergen suspects are seafood, wheat & other grains. I spent a lot of years being a poor college student, and I found a book called Natural Health care for dogs and cats by Dr. Pitcairn and the pet food recipes in the book were a great help. I could provide high quality fresh proteins and supplements for my pets and eliminate suspected allergens and problem additives. I recommend rice as a grain as it is less likely to produce allergic responses. I would avoid seafood, and wheat as they are some of the most common allergens. As an aside, if you are cooking for your pet using human grade foods, you could even buy the ingredients using "food stamps" or other subsidies, that otherwise will not help you buy pet food.

When you are able to afford it, seeing a cat nutritionist is recommended to make sure you are exactly meeting the needs of your cat.

One of my cats had a reaction similar to what you describe after having systemic flea and tick repellant applied to the base of his neck and the base of his tail when he was under one year old. When he was older about 4yrs , he became able to tolerate this type of med.

You did mention Febreze. I will say that Febreze causes an awful respiratory reaction for me, even causing sinus & nose bleeds.

I would consider any type of "room freshener" a potential hazard / potential allergen for sensitive humans and animals. My rule of thumb is to avoid anything that causes my automatic air purifier to kick into high gear to filter it back out of the air. As a result I run my heavy duty air purifier, and avoid spraying chemicals into the air in my home.

In the case that there might be a contact allergen, perhaps bathing Kitty with mild cat shampoo could help. There are also oatmeal pet shampoos that might help alleviate the itch, as well as hydrocortisone anti-itch shampoos. In severe cases, I have used the anti-itch shampoo and applied it like a paste and left it on the affected area for an hour or so before rinsing it out. I did this when my cat started losing his fur on his behind due to scratching when we tried wheat litter, without knowing that he is quite allergic to wheat.

Good luck with treating Kitty's itchiness!

 

[cynbarrie]

You all have been so helpful... 
Herrysmom, I will derently take everything you have said into cosideration. as soon as i get my car running again (hopefully tomorrow) Im gonna take a run to pet co and get some Kitty shampoo 
and look for a Wheat free food.
you have given me a lot of options to look at and Im gonna do everything i can to Stop her itching.. She hasn't broken any skin yet, but with how shes been at it Im afraid she may soon. I'm also going to trim her claws this weekend too to help a bit, or a may barrow some of my roommates soft baws to up on them just so she wont hert herseld and possible get a skin infection.. 

Thank you all again. 
And I will post updates/more quetions as I try to cure my Kitty

 

[finnlacey]

wheat is by far not the only aggravating ingredient. all grains including and especially corn are very bad! they contain horrible chemicals from pesticides and actually not part of a kitty's carnivore diet.

 

[8furballs]

You said she itches her ears....have you looked for ear mites?

 

[cynbarrie]

Yes as soon as she started itching her ears I checked them. I didn't see any mites and they were not discolored in any way. 
I did dive her a flea bath the other day, just to be safe, and she has been itching less but she still has been itching more than I think is normal. 
I have not used any lotion for the past few days or anything else I think may have been bothering her.. I know I have to wait at least a few weeks before I can know for sure if that was what was bothering her.. 
But this week, after all my Midterms and stuff, I will be making a trip to Petco to get her some grain free food. 

 

[themelyssak]

My Nala has the same problem! She scratches her neck and right behind and under her ears at least 10 times a day and has been doing it consistantly for months. I also wondered about that.