Hi guys,
I'm getting a bit desperate and have tried many things here, hopefully someone can help. About a year ago, one of my female cats started overgrooming. She pulled out her hair around her nipples and the in-and outside of her hindlegs, creating huge obvious bold spots. I took her to the vet the second I noticed, who said it was stress in almost all cases. He gave me some anti-stress food, and told me I should play more often. I did this, bought a new kitty litter as well and let her go outside more often per his advice. Nothing really changed after a month or 2, so I went back.
He again said that it had to be stress and gave some more tips. Just to be sure, he gave her something for worms, fleas and ticks as well. I kept treating her with the anti-tick medicine but the rest was a one time shot. It didn't help either. About 3 months ago, her little sister died, making her the only cat I have left. Still no change in behaviour. She has up and down periods; sometimes there's huge red spots on the bald area, indicating I think that she's been biting on them too much. Sometimes the hair on her leg regrows and it seems like it's getting better, but the vaginal area remains bald and shortly after the legs follow again.
I've been to the vet 3 times now, and of those 3 times, all 3 he said stress although allergy came up once as well. I explained the story to another vet when I took her sister to it when she was sick and had to be put to rest (kidney failure at the age of 3), and he too said it was stress. That's 4 consults at $150 each, I really can't afford to keep doing it. It doesn't seem to itch or hurt as she allows me to touch it, but am I really destined to have a cat with bald spots there? It just feels so bad because I can't help but think she has a constant itch there.
What I've tried:
- 3 vet visits, 1 second opinion
- Change of food brand
- Change of food type (no more fish/no more meat)
- Change of dry food
- Reducing wet food
- Change of kitty litter
- Increased playing times
- Let her go outside more often
- Seal off rooms that have carpet in them (allergy-possibility)
What else can I possibly do? What is it that's stressing her so? My house isn't huge but she has plenty of space and goes outside constantly. She's very happy and always playful when outside, and is sleeping next to me all the time. She eats well and both her urine and poop looks healthy. I'm at a total loss here and am open to any advice. Anything I find on these forums or internet in general gives stress as the cause and all the things I tried as a solution.
Can anyone help my cat regrow her hair and make her stop overgrooming?
Thanks for any advice you can give..
- Bluey
I'm getting a bit desperate and have tried many things here, hopefully someone can help. About a year ago, one of my female cats started overgrooming. She pulled out her hair around her nipples and the in-and outside of her hindlegs, creating huge obvious bold spots. I took her to the vet the second I noticed, who said it was stress in almost all cases. He gave me some anti-stress food, and told me I should play more often. I did this, bought a new kitty litter as well and let her go outside more often per his advice. Nothing really changed after a month or 2, so I went back.
He again said that it had to be stress and gave some more tips. Just to be sure, he gave her something for worms, fleas and ticks as well. I kept treating her with the anti-tick medicine but the rest was a one time shot. It didn't help either. About 3 months ago, her little sister died, making her the only cat I have left. Still no change in behaviour. She has up and down periods; sometimes there's huge red spots on the bald area, indicating I think that she's been biting on them too much. Sometimes the hair on her leg regrows and it seems like it's getting better, but the vaginal area remains bald and shortly after the legs follow again.
I've been to the vet 3 times now, and of those 3 times, all 3 he said stress although allergy came up once as well. I explained the story to another vet when I took her sister to it when she was sick and had to be put to rest (kidney failure at the age of 3), and he too said it was stress. That's 4 consults at $150 each, I really can't afford to keep doing it. It doesn't seem to itch or hurt as she allows me to touch it, but am I really destined to have a cat with bald spots there? It just feels so bad because I can't help but think she has a constant itch there.
What I've tried:
- 3 vet visits, 1 second opinion
- Change of food brand
- Change of food type (no more fish/no more meat)
- Change of dry food
- Reducing wet food
- Change of kitty litter
- Increased playing times
- Let her go outside more often
- Seal off rooms that have carpet in them (allergy-possibility)
What else can I possibly do? What is it that's stressing her so? My house isn't huge but she has plenty of space and goes outside constantly. She's very happy and always playful when outside, and is sleeping next to me all the time. She eats well and both her urine and poop looks healthy. I'm at a total loss here and am open to any advice. Anything I find on these forums or internet in general gives stress as the cause and all the things I tried as a solution.
Can anyone help my cat regrow her hair and make her stop overgrooming?
Thanks for any advice you can give..
- Bluey