My 16 year old cat has been pulling clumps of hair out of his front legs. He uses his front teeth and "pinches" a bite of hair up and yanks it out. He has been to the vet for extensive health care checks this year but they don't know why he is doing this. Any suggestions as to why he may be doing this and how to help him?
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Leg Hair Pulling
- Thread starter Jobert
- Start Date
My 14+ yo just recently started doing this with a place on her chest. There is nothing there, the skin looks fine, but the area isn't getting bald either. I did check to see if there was something stuck in her hair at that location, but didn't really see anything. I brushed the area out and haven't seen her do it again since then.
She too just went through her senior health check last week, and everything looks good.
So, sorry - don't have an explanation for you. You might try brushing the area, and perhaps even cleaning it with some chamomile tea (grocery store tea bags, German only, no additives - brew it, cool it, and dab it on the area with a cotton ball 2-3 times a day). The tea has both soothing and healing properties - maybe it will stop whatever is bugging him on his front legs?
She too just went through her senior health check last week, and everything looks good.
So, sorry - don't have an explanation for you. You might try brushing the area, and perhaps even cleaning it with some chamomile tea (grocery store tea bags, German only, no additives - brew it, cool it, and dab it on the area with a cotton ball 2-3 times a day). The tea has both soothing and healing properties - maybe it will stop whatever is bugging him on his front legs?
We're dealing with older cats here, so there may be some cognitive issues involved, as well. Or it could be caused by anxiety. IF it is related to anxiety, you can also use that chamomile tea internally. It is gently calming, without being sedating. The best way to dose is via syringe, from 1-3 teaspoonfuls for an average-sized cat, 1-3 tablespoonfuls for a larger (over 11 pounds) cat, up to three times a day.
Yes, my guess would be stress/anxiety. There have been "barbering" (the term used for that) cats in this furmily, too. Elvis came to me with a lion tail due to his own barbering. Since he's been with us, it's filled in pretty well. Everything one can do to create and maintain a serene environment helps cats (and people as well!) -- easier said than done sometimes, I know. But try. I have kusc.org on all day long and it maintains a calm atmosphere, good for my working as well as feline feel-good.
If/when you log back on and read the responses you've received, I have another recommendation related to possible stress/anxiety issues. In addition to the chamomile tea being used both externally and internally, there are myriad of other calming products on the market you could try. Feliway products and Bach Rescue Remedy (drops you can rub into a cat's ear) are just two of a whole host of them. Not all work on all cats, so you might have to experiment with some. You can do an internet search for 'cat calming products' and see which ones you might like to try.
I also assumed your cat is not creating sores where he is biting - but wanted you to confirm if my assumption is correct. Just trying to understand how extensive his biting might be becoming.
I also assumed your cat is not creating sores where he is biting - but wanted you to confirm if my assumption is correct. Just trying to understand how extensive his biting might be becoming.
I had a cat who used to do this all the time because Felix stressed her out a lot. It was definitely anxiety because it flared up when they'd have really bad fights. She was around 8/9 years old at the time. I eventually had to rehome her and that behaviour stopped.
Maybe something might be stressing your cat out?
Maybe something might be stressing your cat out?
I know Theo starts doing this on mainly his front legs about the time he is in need of a bath. He is trying to clean the strands of fur (I think I read this someplace). Now, I know that most here don't bathe their cat (and I would not recommend it if they have never been bathed) Theo is used to being bathed because the breeder I got him from bathed him every 2 weeks right from birth. I don't as often (this last time was only 3 weeks). He stops the pulling after he has had his bath so I think this is the issue with Theo. Maybe they feel dirty? Just a thought.
I've never bathed cats except for in instances when an older cat becomes incontinent and needs a "hip bath", so I'm no expert on the subject, but if Theo is used to it and likes it, you may have a point there.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #9
Thanks to all who have replied. Our situation is very calm. Boring actually. Husband is gone most of the day and the only other person in the house is my 92 year old mom who stays in her room most of the time. I do have 3 other cats but they all get along just fine. My problem boy has done this hair pulling before a couple of years ago but seemed to get over it. Now he is doing it again, but since my previous post, he seems to have stopped. Hair is growing in. I can't figure it out. Thanks all.
Perhaps it is seasonal allergy related? That would explain it coming and going on its own. Feeby gets seasonal allergies, mostly in the spring but sometimes again in the fall. She scratches an area above her eye and causes a scab, but soon thereafter it goes away. I no longer worry about it because it has been repetitive for years now.
