Health or Behavior Issue?

froguana

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Hi! Am new to this nice site with a question. Hope someone out there has an idea about my kitty's behavior. I know it's normal for a one year old kitty to "zip" around the house and run like crazy, but mine stops and licks himself on the paws or the back frantically between laps around the house. I checked him for evidence of fleas - none. He loves to play and snooze and eats well. What could be causing the frantic licking (followed by running, and sometimes hiding under a piece of furniture)?
 

sandie

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It could be that your kitty is neurotic about being clean. Keep a close eye on him though. Overgrooming can mean stress or an allergy. If you start noticing hair missing, take him to the vet and see about a possible allergy.
 

hell603

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My one year old also stops in the middle of play for a quick cleaning. Thought it was weird at first but since he is completely healthy otherwise why not. Just another kitty quirk.
 

kittykratz

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My kitty used to do this as well, and I finally figured out it was after the times I took him to the vet. He was allergic to vaccines, and I didn't even know it! He would run around the house licking himself frantically, even making himself pant. I learned the hard way after his next vaccination when he went into anaphylactic shock!! He is okay now, but no more vaccines for him. I get his titer checked with a blood test now. Sometimes I catch a crazed look in his eye, and before he even starts running around, I start brushing him. It seems to calm him down tremendously.
The only other time my cat has done that is when he was bitten by a spider. Keep us posted.
 
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froguana

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Thank you, thank you! My husband and I were up until 3 am with Cooper (that's our kitty) watching him lick frantically and have trouble relaxing. We tried kitty massage and soft talk. It took about five hours for him to finally relax. We kept him very calm today, he played and ate, and napped very comfortably and so far NO signs of excessive licking tonight. He would lick at lightning speed and just look so distressed. Of course we feared the worst. (Looking online only stressed US out - all the possibilities.) Cooper has a check up scheduled for this week to rule out anything medical, but am hoping this is intermittent one-year-old behavior. Thank you, kitty angels, for helping me!
 

blue

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Froguana

my kitten Blue (as well as some of my other cats) do this
too, Blue is the most neurotic of them all, and when she is
in her hyper moods she will run, and skid and slide on the
floors, and right in the middle of something, she will stop!
and start licking or nibbling! (just like yours)

i always chalked it up to an endearing, quirky trait of hers,
though i have wondered how many other cats do the same thing


i dont think it's a health concern at all, as my Blue also
has no fleas, and hasnt had them yet, nor have any of my
other cats, it's definitley just a quirk, i think


:goodbad:

though Blue is still little she is over a year and a half
now, and beginning to act more and more like a Cat and not
so much a Kitten so her hyper moods do not come as often now,
i'm sure yours will be the same when she gets older.

i dont think you have much to worry about, other then losing
some sleep
i know what its like!



[Edited by blue on 04-27-2001 at 01:38 AM]
 

blue

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Originally posted by Froguana
(Looking online only stressed US out - all the possibilities.)


i remember when i was concerned about an issue with one of
my cats and i did the very same thing, i went online and went to
dozens of different sites and by the end of the night i was convinced
she was going to be diagnosed with all these different afflictions!

i hope her trip to the Vet goes smoothly
 
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