Flea symptoms? Itchiness? Feline Hyperesthesia??

[melonfern]

About a few weeks ago my cat started showing signs of Feline Hyperesthesia all of a sudden. His back would start twitching, he'd lick his tail and run around the house, looking around like crazy. These episodes would last for a while. He then started drooping an ear and kept scratching it, I checked it in case his previous ear infection came back, but his ears looked fine. But recently he keeps licking his back legs and tail. He'll randomly just lift his leg, space out and lick his back legs, back paws, tail, obsessively. He sometimes will scratch his neck and face too like he's itchy all over.

I've checked him for fleas, any skin irritation/redness, but I can't find anything other than what looks like dandruff, which he's always had. Are fleas usually visible? I can't seem to find anything on him, thankfully he's not scratching himself raw, but he's definitely uncomfortable since he will just drop to ground and start licking himself over and over. Could it behavioral? I thought maybe it could be food allergies, but his focus being on his back legs and tail is strange.

 

[FeebysOwner]

As far as the fleas, if you don't use a flea comb to try to catch them, they can really be elusive. A bowl of dishsoap and water and a flea comb are where to start. Long strokes from the head to the tail, and then dip the comb in the dishsoap/water. Look for not only fleas but flea dirt and the water becoming pinkish in tint (blood from the fleas and flea excrement/dirt). Continue until you have done his whole body, including his behind, tail, and legs. If you don't find anything great, but it wouldn't hurt to apply a topical flea treatment nonetheless. Advantage II or Frontline are the 'safest', IMO.

Once you've ruled that out, then the real hunt begins. Allergies of any sort, including food, can present themselves by affecting a certain area of the body, although not always very common. Environmental ones such as changes in soaps including laundry detergent, air fresheners, candles/oils, perfumes, carpet cleaning, etc. can do the same. Also, if you have changed litter, that can present a problem too.

Feline hyperesthesia is not actually diagnosable, so you pretty much have to rule out a lot of other things to default to that.

 

[melonfern]

As far as the fleas, if you don't use a flea comb to try to catch them, they can really be elusive. A bowl of dishsoap and water and a flea comb are where to start. Long strokes from the head to the tail, and then dip the comb in the dishsoap/water. Look for not only fleas but flea dirt and the water becoming pinkish in tint (blood from the fleas and flea excrement/dirt). Continue until you have done his whole body, including his behind, tail, and legs. If you don't find anything great, but it wouldn't hurt to apply a topical flea treatment nonetheless. Advantage II or Frontline are the 'safest', IMO.

Once you've ruled that out, then the real hunt begins. Allergies of any sort, including food, can present themselves by affecting a certain area of the body, although not always very common. Environmental ones such as changes in soaps including laundry detergent, air fresheners, candles/oils, perfumes, carpet cleaning, etc. can do the same. Also, if you have changed litter, that can present a problem too.

Feline hyperesthesia is not actually diagnosable, so you pretty much have to rule out a lot of other things to default to that.

Thank you so much for the advice! I'll look into getting a flea comb soon and maybe give him a flea bath or get that topical treatment and see from there.

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. I would hold off on the bath. Get the flea comb and also put a white towel down where he sleeps. Check the towel and see if there are any black specks on it.