Cat keeps injuring himself with aggressive scratching

[Kazbo93]

Has anyone dealt with persistent skin-related or itching/scratching related issues? My 7yo Male has some sort of allergy (?? we assume) and it causes him to scratch himself, rather aggressively in my opinion. First it was mostly around his ears, which caused some hair loss or cuts on the spots he was scratching. But his whole face must be affected because he will occasionally scratch at his face so much that the hair above his eyes will lose hair or he cuts a gash into his eyelid. This has happened multiple times but it’s not super consistent - as in, the cut will heal, his hair grows back and for a month or two he has no issues until it starts all over again and he cuts his eye or his ears. Even though we feed him quality wet food, he drinks and uses the boxes regular - he seems to have a lot of dandruff. It’s not noticeable till I groom him with a brush but it’s a lot and I find the spots on the ears/eyes/face to also be flakey/dry; not sure if this is the cause of his itching.

He’s the type of cat that does not and will not let you pick him up, this has made cutting his nails at home impossible. In the past he has climbed up a flat wall before he’d let us hold him down. So the only way to clip his nails is taking him to the vet where they manage to do it - but that involves cornering him, forcing him into his crate, spending $ on a cab to/from the vet then another $50 for the visit and nail trim (I live in a HCOL city). And after every visit he acts traumatized for a week, like won’t come out from under the bed bc he thinks we’ll try to trap him again.

It’s frustrating for everyone, I’d prefer to figure out the cause or a solution for the scratching instead of only trimming his nails, it solves the cutting problem but only until they grow back.

For reference here is what we feed him:
"I and love and you" Naked Essentials Canned Wet Cat Food - Grain Free, Rabbit Recipe, 3-Ounce, 2x a day. No dry food. It’s grain free, has the proper amount of moisture and minerals for a healthy coat. When we thought it could be a food allergy the vet recommended cutting out common allergens like Chicken, Fish and Beef. This is rabbit with no other animal proteins. I’ve tried rotations of different proteins to see if anything solves the issue, I’ll usually do 3 months of 1 type before moving on and still the scratching persists.

We use Dr. Elsey's Premium Clumping Cat Litter - Clean Tracks. Not sure if litter could be the cause, I have used different brands of the clumping type in the past and he still has the same scratching issues no matter the brand.

If anyone has dealt with anything similar - how did you manage, did you ever figure out the exact allergen? Did anything help relieve the itching?

Attached are some photos of the hair loss/scratches from the past. It seems to be localized to his head/face. Last photo is most recent eyelid scratch this week, other photos are from prior episodes.

 

[Meekie]

Have you tried Feliway?

I had a cat who over groomed his belly to the point of baldness. We could find no cause for this. The vet finally settled on an OCD diagnosis and suggested psych meds but I refused. I figured if the worst that came out of it was a bare belly, it could be worse.

Then I got to thinking about the OCD diagnosis, assuming he really did have OCD. If OCD is an anxiety based disorder, then maybe the problem was anxiety. He was on the bottom of the totem pole dominance-wise (he had 2 other housemates) but I know it's pointless to try to manipulate cat/cat behavior. So I tried feliway. It didn't work at first, but about six months later, I noticed the fur growing back. Soon he stopped.

I'll never know if he stopped on his own or if it was the Feliway, but it's worth a try.

 

[FeebysOwner]

How about trying an antihistamine? If you don't think it is the food, or the litter, it could be environmental related - especially since it would seem this is intermittent (aka seasonal). The antihistamine doesn't cure the issue but might give him some relief. If not that, perhaps the vet would agree to giving him a steroid instead.

You need to start logging when this happens and when it stops so that you can at least identify a pattern.

 

[cejhome]

My opinion, you should try a limited ingredient food. I looked at the ingredients for the food you are using and it has beef broth and liver as well as guar gum. Cats can be sensitive to thickeners. If he is having that bad a time with scratching, maybe the vet can help with something to sooth his ears? I am trying Instinct LID Rabbit. It is rabbit and only rabbit (canned wet food) - oh shoot with a few stupid English peas (whole) per can. Easy to fish them out. I also am trying lamb. He didn't like the Hounds & Gatos lamb, so I am risking using Soulistic Lamb (that has a little tuna in it). He doesn't like the rabbit plain and its the only thing I could find locally besides the LID Rabbit. I have a few lamb and rabbit options coming in the mail that I was able to get a few cans each of to try. Our boy has been scratching his ears, but not as bad as your poor boy. He has been off chicken since 8/17, and he is not scratching as bad. He was also constipated and that has been clearing nicely. We have only had him since 7/14 and had trouble getting him to eat anything. He of course loved the chicken (chicken & pumpkin). He started eating well about 7/29 approx 8/10 he started scratching. 8/17 he had diarrhea and didn't feel 100%, so I cold switched him to the rabbit (and lamb). He felt better that afternoon. It takes a while for the scratching to subside. We are taking him to an allergy/dermatology vet in a couple weeks (no sooner appointments available), as I do want to make sure we found the source of his allergies if possible. We are fortunate to have a retired Veterinary Allergy/Dermatology vet living in our area that didn't want to be 100% retired. He has a practice that is open 3 days a week.

 

[LTS3]

Protein isn't the only thing that can cause food allergies. Fillers in food like gums and starches even certain types of oils and veggies can cause a reaction. There is a TCS member whose cat has allergies / sensitivities to at least a dozen different ingredients commonly found in commercial cat food.

You can start with a novel protein limited ingredient type diet that has as few fillers as possible. Some are available in rabbit since your cat is already eating that. Rawz is often the suggested "go to" brand for potential food allergies and gastrointestinal issues. Here is the web site: Minimally Processed Natural Cat Food Archives | RAWZ Keep treats to single novel protein ingredient freeze dried ones such as PureBites.

To make future vet visits less stressful, ask the vet for a sedative to give to the cat a few hours before even attempting to get the cat into the carrier. Gabapetin is often used.

Look into cleaners you use around the home. Many can cause skin irritation in pets even if you follow the label directions. Use sensitive skin laundry detergent, vinegar / baking soda solution for general cleaning, steam mopping the floors, etc.

 

[game misconduct]

no suggestions about the possible food allergies but i use gabapentin to help in trimming graycies nails and vet visits keeps her calm and sleepy. its worked great so far for us. its worth asking your vet about to make vet visits and nail trims easier .

 

[Kazbo93]

Have you tried Feliway?

I had a cat who over groomed his belly to the point of baldness. We could find no cause for this. The vet finally settled on an OCD diagnosis and suggested psych meds but I refused. I figured if the worst that came out of it was a bare belly, it could be worse.

Then I got to thinking about the OCD diagnosis, assuming he really did have OCD. If OCD is an anxiety based disorder, then maybe the problem was anxiety. He was on the bottom of the totem pole dominance-wise (he had 2 other housemates) but I know it's pointless to try to manipulate cat/cat behavior. So I tried feliway. It didn't work at first, but about six months later, I noticed the fur growing back. Soon he stopped.

I'll never know if he stopped on his own or if it was the Feliway, but it's worth a try.

I’ve considered that it could be anxiety, he’s a very anxious boy and can be skittish even after being with us for 5 years. Sometimes I’ll stop him from scratching and he stops and doesn’t keep itching, which makes me wonder if it was even itchy at all or is he compulsively doing it? Something to think about! Thanks so much for the comment!

 

[Kazbo93]

How about trying an antihistamine? If you don't think it is the food, or the litter, it could be environmental related - especially since it would seem this is intermittent (aka seasonal). The antihistamine doesn't cure the issue but might give him some relief. If not that, perhaps the vet would agree to giving him a steroid instead.

You need to start logging when this happens and when it stops so that you can at least identify a pattern.

I agree, it very well could be seasonal/environmental instead of food. I’m going to start keeping a log to see if there’s any noticeable trends.

 

[Kazbo93]

My opinion, you should try a limited ingredient food. I looked at the ingredients for the food you are using and it has beef broth and liver as well as guar gum. Cats can be sensitive to thickeners. If he is having that bad a time with scratching, maybe the vet can help with something to sooth his ears? I am trying Instinct LID Rabbit. It is rabbit and only rabbit (canned wet food) - oh shoot with a few stupid English peas (whole) per can. Easy to fish them out. I also am trying lamb. He didn't like the Hounds & Gatos lamb, so I am risking using Soulistic Lamb (that has a little tuna in it). He doesn't like the rabbit plain and its the only thing I could find locally besides the LID Rabbit. I have a few lamb and rabbit options coming in the mail that I was able to get a few cans each of to try. Our boy has been scratching his ears, but not as bad as your poor boy. He has been off chicken since 8/17, and he is not scratching as bad. He was also constipated and that has been clearing nicely. We have only had him since 7/14 and had trouble getting him to eat anything. He of course loved the chicken (chicken & pumpkin). He started eating well about 7/29 approx 8/10 he started scratching. 8/17 he had diarrhea and didn't feel 100%, so I cold switched him to the rabbit (and lamb). He felt better that afternoon. It takes a while for the scratching to subside. We are taking him to an allergy/dermatology vet in a couple weeks (no sooner appointments available), as I do want to make sure we found the source of his allergies if possible. We are fortunate to have a retired Veterinary Allergy/Dermatology vet living in our area that didn't want to be 100% retired. He has a practice that is open 3 days a week.

What’s interesting is he seems to have no gastrointestinal side affects from the food. I haven’t noticed diarrhea or constipation. He seems to stomach most of the foods pretty well, it’s only the itching/scratching that has become a problem. Thanks for pointing out that it’s not always the protein they could be allergic to! I’m going to start tracking his symptoms with the food and then switch to one with different thickeners to see if there’s any changes.

 

[Kazbo93]

Protein isn't the only thing that can cause food allergies. Fillers in food like gums and starches even certain types of oils and veggies can cause a reaction. There is a TCS member whose cat has allergies / sensitivities to at least a dozen different ingredients commonly found in commercial cat food.

You can start with a novel protein limited ingredient type diet that has as few fillers as possible. Some are available in rabbit since your cat is already eating that. Rawz is often the suggested "go to" brand for potential food allergies and gastrointestinal issues. Here is the web site: Minimally Processed Natural Cat Food Archives | RAWZ Keep treats to single novel protein ingredient freeze dried ones such as PureBites.

To make future vet visits less stressful, ask the vet for a sedative to give to the cat a few hours before even attempting to get the cat into the carrier. Gabapetin is often used.

Look into cleaners you use around the home. Many can cause skin irritation in pets even if you follow the label directions. Use sensitive skin laundry detergent, vinegar / baking soda solution for general cleaning, steam mopping the floors, etc.

Definitely going to ask about the sedative! It might help for future nail trimmings at home. And yes, I saw another comment suggesting it might not be the protein he’s allergic to. I’m going to start keeping a proper log (previously I was only taking pictures of the cuts/hair loss) and track what the ingredients in the foods are before switching to a new type and seeing how he reacts. Thanks so much for your advice!

 

[Kazbo93]

no suggestions about the possible food allergies but i use gabapentin to help in trimming graycies nails and vet visits keeps her calm and sleepy. its worked great so far for us. its worth asking your vet about to make vet visits and nail trims easier .

Is this something that requires a prescription from the vet or would it be OTC, like order from a pet store? I think I’ll definitely ask for this at our next visit

 

[cejhome]

Gabapentin requires a prescription. Depending on the dosage (size of capsule), it may need to be compounded. We had to use it for our previous kitty for any vet visits or exams. It does NOT have along shelf life and is expensive, so get a very small supply.

 

[game misconduct]

Is this something that requires a prescription from the vet or would it be OTC, like order from a pet store? I think I’ll definitely ask for this at our next visit

prescribtion from vet sorry i should have said that we got ours in a liquid chicken flavor. that graycie really likes so its easy to get her to eat/mix in with a bit of canned it does make her sleep all day long though

 

[LTS3]

What’s interesting is he seems to have no gastrointestinal side affects from the food. I haven’t noticed diarrhea or constipation. He seems to stomach most of the foods pretty well, it’s only the itching/scratching that has become a problem. Thanks for pointing out that it’s not always the protein they could be allergic to! I’m going to start tracking his symptoms with the food and then switch to one with different thickeners to see if there’s any changes.

Not all cats have gastrointestinal symptoms due to food allergies / sensitivities. Sometimes the only symptoms is itchy skin. Or non-itchy bald spots in the case of one of my cats.

A raw or home cooked diet are also options to explore. If you make either from scratch using a recipe, you kn ow exactly what is in the food. A commercial raw diet (frozen, freeze dried, etc) is an easier way for most people to give a raw diet a try and some brands have few to no fillers. There's a forum here on TCS with more info on raw and homed cooked diets.

 

[cejhome]

We have had one cat that was allergic to pea, and another that was allergic to all grains. I was feeding our kitty, Buddy chicken and pumpkin. We will hopefully find out exactly what he is allergic to when I can get him in to see the Allergy specialist vet. Unfortunately, the first appointment available is September 13th. Good news for Buddy is that his scratching is subsiding since moving him to Rabbit and/or Lamb (and his stool is looking good and is regular). Buddy wouldn't touch the commercial freeze dried. Just because a commercial diet is raw, doesn't mean some of the other ingredients can be allergens. I used to feed our stomatitis kitty homemade raw as she was allergic to all fish and fish derivatives as well as chicken. I couldn't even use powdered egg shell as a calcium supplement - that would cause issues. However I have no time now to make raw for the foreseeable future, if he would even take to it. He is a very stubborn boy.

 

[shmecky]

Hey! My cat is also injuring herself. I think it was pea protein, so I took that out and her poop was finally solid. I was googling and I found 5strands. I sent off some hair and I finally have results for her! My derm appt is in 4 months... I'm hopeful that I can get her over this itchy spell by fixing her diet. Stella and Chewy is saving my life! Good luck to you!

 

[dsudnick]

Has anyone dealt with persistent skin-related or itching/scratching related issues? My 7yo Male has some sort of allergy (?? we assume) and it causes him to scratch himself, rather aggressively in my opinion. First it was mostly around his ears, which caused some hair loss or cuts on the spots he was scratching. But his whole face must be affected because he will occasionally scratch at his face so much that the hair above his eyes will lose hair or he cuts a gash into his eyelid. This has happened multiple times but it’s not super consistent - as in, the cut will heal, his hair grows back and for a month or two he has no issues until it starts all over again and he cuts his eye or his ears. Even though we feed him quality wet food, he drinks and uses the boxes regular - he seems to have a lot of dandruff. It’s not noticeable till I groom him with a brush but it’s a lot and I find the spots on the ears/eyes/face to also be flakey/dry; not sure if this is the cause of his itching.

He’s the type of cat that does not and will not let you pick him up, this has made cutting his nails at home impossible. In the past he has climbed up a flat wall before he’d let us hold him down. So the only way to clip his nails is taking him to the vet where they manage to do it - but that involves cornering him, forcing him into his crate, spending $ on a cab to/from the vet then another $50 for the visit and nail trim (I live in a HCOL city). And after every visit he acts traumatized for a week, like won’t come out from under the bed bc he thinks we’ll try to trap him again.

It’s frustrating for everyone, I’d prefer to figure out the cause or a solution for the scratching instead of only trimming his nails, it solves the cutting problem but only until they grow back.

For reference here is what we feed him:
"I and love and you" Naked Essentials Canned Wet Cat Food - Grain Free, Rabbit Recipe, 3-Ounce, 2x a day. No dry food. It’s grain free, has the proper amount of moisture and minerals for a healthy coat. When we thought it could be a food allergy the vet recommended cutting out common allergens like Chicken, Fish and Beef. This is rabbit with no other animal proteins. I’ve tried rotations of different proteins to see if anything solves the issue, I’ll usually do 3 months of 1 type before moving on and still the scratching persists.

We use Dr. Elsey's Premium Clumping Cat Litter - Clean Tracks. Not sure if litter could be the cause, I have used different brands of the clumping type in the past and he still has the same scratching issues no matter the brand.

If anyone has dealt with anything similar - how did you manage, did you ever figure out the exact allergen? Did anything help relieve the itching?

Attached are some photos of the hair loss/scratches from the past. It seems to be localized to his head/face. Last photo is most recent eyelid scratch this week, other photos are from prior episodes.

My cat has the same thing. We feed him Hills Prescription Z/D, dry food all day and a quarter can of wet at night.

For cat litter with use “worlds best cat litter” comes in a red bag. Seemed to help a lot but he still itch he’s just not as bad.

 

[Domino's Mom]

Hey! My cat is also injuring herself. I think it was pea protein, so I took that out and her poop was finally solid. I was googling and I found 5strands. I sent off some hair and I finally have results for her! My derm appt is in 4 months... I'm hopeful that I can get her over this itchy spell by fixing her diet. Stella and Chewy is saving my life! Good luck to you!

Hi, I just found 5strands, and was considering it to figure out what my cat has been reacting to. How were the results for you, have you had time to try using it as a guide? It seems easier, quicker, and maybe more thorough than doing my own elimination diet!

 

[fionasmom]

shmecky

This member has not been back for several month to report on the use of that pet intolerance test.

 

[shmecky]

Yes!!! I used Amber's 5strands results to find new dry and wet food. I really think those results saved her life! Here's a post I wrote about it, with pictures.