Cat Licking Belly, No Fur, Little Scabs: Food Allergies? Or..?

aprillee

Scout
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jun 24, 2018
Messages
16
Purraise
5
Hello,
My 1-year old cat Scout (female) started licking her belly a lot back when we first got her in November. When we first got her she was fine, full belly of fur, and no other issues. We noticed after a few months her belly was balding a little, but I didn't think much of it. At this point, we've noticed she licks her belly a lot and to the point of redness. Lately I decided to try switching her food, since I read online that food allergies can be a common trigger of such a condition. So I switched from Blue Buffalo Wilderness Indoor Cat food to Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Duck & Green Pea. (On a side note, I find it funny that at first she LOVED this stuff, but now she acts like she doesn't like it as much). In terms of soft food I switched from Fancy Feast to Tiki Cat, which is grain free and doesn't include stuff like potato and other veggies that I've read can cause food allergies in cats.
We actually haven't noticed any difference since switching the food. In fact her belly has gotten worse. It is now even more red, and she's licked to the point of scabs. I have been trying so hard to think of what might have caused it. I use an all natural laundry detergent and I am now stopping using the scented dryer sheets to see if that makes a difference.
She is completely find and totally herself in every other regard. One thing I will mention is she has a history of Pica, where she has always eaten little holes in socks and other knit things she has found around. But it has really mellowed out, and plus we have gotten 200% better at not leaving knit things like socks lying around, so she stops thinking about it, I think...
Anyway, we're trying to avoid a vet visit if we can just find the cause and eliminate it. Suggestions would really be helpful.

One more sidenote: I seriously doubt it is fleas, since she rarely scratches herself. It's just the belly licking that occurs frequently.

Thank you!!
 

silkenpaw

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Oct 18, 2009
Messages
1,117
Purraise
1,127
Location
Hollywood, FL, USA
Can you post a photo of your cat’s belly? Over grooming can be caused by a lot of things. And where exactly on the belly is the redness (high, low, does it extend onto the legs?)
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

aprillee

Scout
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jun 24, 2018
Messages
16
Purraise
5
Here is a photo. You'll see it is really just the lower belly. It has moved a little bit onto the back legs, but really just a little. It's mostly lower belly.

Thank you!
 

Attachments

silkenpaw

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Oct 18, 2009
Messages
1,117
Purraise
1,127
Location
Hollywood, FL, USA
I wonder if it could be eosinophilic granuloma. The lower belly and legs location fits but when my Hebe had it, it was much more an angry red. The vet told me the cause is an environmental or food allergy and he wanted to try an exclusion diet. I couldn’t do that (many cats, some with other diet requirements, free-feeding) so Hebe got treated with steroids.

Here’s what Hebe’s tummy looke like:
87DC6412-EE07-42FA-A8C2-2A276F82DE04.jpeg
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

aprillee

Scout
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jun 24, 2018
Messages
16
Purraise
5
Aw poor Hebe. To be honest Scout's belly just recently got worse with the redness and scabs. Before, it was lightly pink with just the missing fur. I thought choosing a limited ingredient food would be better, but seems only worse.
However if it is environmental, it could be something to do with the apartment we live in. We are moving in a few weeks, so I'm wondering if that will make a difference. I might try using a calming collar on her for a few weeks too, to see if that makes a difference. Like I said, she has pica, which use to be more extreme than now, but still persists. I'm also thinking the licking could be linked to that, a kind of OCD sort of reaction. Hence the calming collar idea...
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

aprillee

Scout
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jun 24, 2018
Messages
16
Purraise
5
Oh I meant to ask, how much were the steroids and do they have any side effects?
 

sweetblackpaws

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 13, 2016
Messages
1,095
Purraise
1,251
Poor little Scout! I don't think it is an allergen or she would be reacting in other places, as well. If you ran a flea comb through him and saw no fleas or eggs, than it is not fleas. Could be OCD. One of my girls liks her legs to the point of baldness. She is fine in all other regards. Vet prescribed Amitriptyline as a calming agent. My other girl licks her belly. Looks similar to Scout. She seems fine, otherwise.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

aprillee

Scout
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jun 24, 2018
Messages
16
Purraise
5
sweetblackpaws: Yes, after there was no change when I changed her diet to limited ingredient, I started leaning toward the OCD thing. Talking it out with you guys on here makes me think that even more so. Since she has the pica condition, I feel like it could be linked. Of course it could also be environmental because not long after we adopted her was when it started. She was fine in her foster home prior to coming to live with us. Maybe when we move in a few weeks I'll buy a Feliway diffuser for our new home, and maybe it will help her transition better.
 

sweetblackpaws

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 13, 2016
Messages
1,095
Purraise
1,251
I am just thinking if it was environmental, she might be licking in other areas such as her ears and tail area. I would lean more towards OCD and focus on calming strategies, but of course only a vet can know for sure. And even then, it can be trial and error sometimes. Poor baby - never had a kitty with pica before.

Wishing you good vibes during the move - I'm sure she will do great! It sounds like she is in good hands! :vibes:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

aprillee

Scout
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jun 24, 2018
Messages
16
Purraise
5
Thank you so much! I'll definitely try to focus on some calming strategies. :)
 

Daisy6

A cat's best friend
Super Cat
Joined
Jun 2, 2018
Messages
1,549
Purraise
839
Location
Floriida
It could be an environmental allergy coming through your windows and doors, not cleaning the house often, etc. Do you have carpet?

The best elimination diet is one that has only one animal that is not chicken and a vegetable that is not potatoes and is grain-free. I hate prescription diets, but they have names like Rabbit and Pea.
 

sweetblackpaws

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 13, 2016
Messages
1,095
Purraise
1,251
She'll be okay! I know it is scary to see her lick her little belly like that, but it is common. As long as she is eating, drinking and her bowel habits are normal, I really wouldn't stress too much.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #13

aprillee

Scout
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jun 24, 2018
Messages
16
Purraise
5
Daisy6: I was thinking that too, although sweetblackpaws mentioned she would be licking or itching other areas of her body, which she is not. However if it is environmental, I guess we'll find out when we move in a few weeks. We do not have carpet, but wood floors. I try to keep the house tidy, especially because my husband has allergies to dust and dirt.
The Natural Balance Limited Ingredient diet is duck & pea. I'm just not sure if the new soft food (Tiki Cat) I'm trying could be part of this ongoing issue. I don't want to stop her soft food, which I give her 1/2 can of per day, in addition to 1/2cup of dry food.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14

aprillee

Scout
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jun 24, 2018
Messages
16
Purraise
5
She'll be okay! I know it is scary to see her lick her little belly like that, but it is common. As long as she is eating, drinking and her bowel habits are normal, I really wouldn't stress too much.
Thank you :) I have been telling myself that, but the last few days with the scabs developing, made me much more concerned. Crossing my fingers the move and a calming aid will help!! Thanks again:)
 

sweetblackpaws

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 13, 2016
Messages
1,095
Purraise
1,251
Thank you :) I have been telling myself that, but the last few days with the scabs developing, made me much more concerned. Crossing my fingers the move and a calming aid will help!! Thanks again:)
I totally understand. The scabbies would be concerning to see. My girl licks her legs bald, but there are no scabbies. But that doesn't mean in time she won't get them.

Whenever you go the vet (I know you want to hold off for now), you may wish to ask about the amitriptyline. If she still persists after that, then you can go from there. Like with so many things, it is often guesswork.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #17

aprillee

Scout
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jun 24, 2018
Messages
16
Purraise
5
Try not to keep switching her food around too much. It can be a source of stress.
Perhaps that is what happened with the worsening of the belly and the new food. Stress-induced licking from new food. Just a thought that occurred to me after talking with everyone on here. Thank you:)
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #18

aprillee

Scout
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jun 24, 2018
Messages
16
Purraise
5
I totally understand. The scabbies would be concerning to see. My girl licks her legs bald, but there are no scabbies. But that doesn't mean in time she won't get them.

Whenever you go the vet (I know you want to hold off for now), you may wish to ask about the amitriptyline. If she still persists after that, then you can go from there. Like with so many things, it is often guesswork.
Does the amitriptyline have any side effects that you are aware of?
 

silkenpaw

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Oct 18, 2009
Messages
1,117
Purraise
1,127
Location
Hollywood, FL, USA
Steroids are inexpensive but you have to get a vet to prescribe them. Prednisolone is a hormone and has widespread effects on the body. The most obvious is increased urination, the most dangerous is glucose intolerance and even diabetes (which, my vet tells me, is uncommon in cats). That said, it’s a very effective and useful drug.

If steroids are given for longer than a week, they cannot be stopped suddenly but have to be tapered, that is, given in decreasing doses over a week or two.

sweetblackpaws sweetblackpaws What can I say? I don’t know why eosinophilic granuloma affects a particular area. All I can tell you is that it does. Maybe a dermatologist would know. What happens in living beings is not always an open book to us, with our incomplete knowledge.

I’m not at all saying this is eosinophilic granuloma, just that it could be.
 

sweetblackpaws

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 13, 2016
Messages
1,095
Purraise
1,251
The only side effect mine experienced was lethargy, slept a lot. Of course, every cat is different, but mine didn't have any adverse effects. It is also a pretty cheap drug and can be purchased through a "human" pharmacy. Clinically, it is classified an older anti-depressant (Elavil) for humans. Of course, many of these people meds have off-label veterinary uses.

Here is an article you may find of interest that addresses all the possible causes:

Cats and Compulsive Scratching, Licking, and Chewing
 
Top