Ok, I don't want to start a hotbed of anti-declawing hysteria here. I have never, ever considered declawing one of my cats. Until now. Our sweet, loving 3 year old cat has had a self-mutilation scratching problem since she was about a year old. Several times a year, she will get a "hot spot" and scratch at it until it is raw and bleeding. Her currently outbreak is about the side of a half dollar and is raw, oozing and she keeps on scratching, sometime pulling out small chunks of flesh. We have taken her to several vets who have ruled out infections, fleas, and any other underlying cause. No one can figure this out. This happens several times a year and lasts for about 4-6 weeks. We've tried anti-anxiety medications, soft claws (they stay on about an hour), clipping her claws. When the spots are on her back, we can usually break the scratch/itch cycle by making her wear a doggie shirt so she can't reach the bare skin. Right now, her spot is on her neck and the shirt won't cover it. We tried bandanas to cover the spots but she just gets underneath them. Our vet had agreed to declaw only her back claws so she can't keep doing this to herself. I know she has to be in extreme pain now and I'm at my wit's end. She is an indoor cat and has no desire to go outside. Any thoughts?