My cat is suddenly very hungry and pulling out her fur and itching

WMM201

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Hi everyone,

My cat Mumu has had a tough month, with three teeth extracted, a week of boarding (with some dehydration and constipation), and is currently on day 17 of Clindamycin for a jaw infection related to the teeth extraction, as well as gabapentin for arthritis in her elbow. She has been to the vet a lot for all these reasons. Starting last week, she started to scratch around her head and neck, and groom her chest, back hips, and around her tush a lot, pulling out tufts of fur. I have never seen that before in her, even during the bad seasonal allergies she had over the spring and summer. She also has been very hungry and gained half a pound in 10 days. I have no idea what is happening, and I wonder if it is her meds, the stress, a food allergy (even though her food hasn't changed and rotates), or something else. She is on Revolution. She just seems restless because of her itching and hunger, and doesn't like when I try to distract her from scratching with play or pets. Anyone with any advice? I would so appreciate it!
 
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WMM201

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Oh poor baby!! Have you told the vet about this?
I forgot to mention this to the vet, because I was focused on her other ailments. The constant hunger really started today, along with a major uptick in fur pulling. (I noticed a couple of tufts in the last week, but four or five just today!) And of course the vet's office is closed on Sunday tomorrow and all booked up before the Christmas eve and Christmas holiday. I am at my wit's end about all of her health issues happening all at once and basically ongoing since the summer with her seasonal allergies. The poor thing can't catch a break. She looks so unhappy because she never settles down, and I bet she must itch like crazy to be pulling out her fur this way. I had been restricting her activity because of her arthritis flare up in her elbow but decided to let her do her usual thing to decrease her stress. I hope it doesn't just feed into her discomfort!
 

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Due to her being almost agitated, with the increased hair pulling and super increased appetite, can you see if you call your vets clinic and listen to the greeting. Often they'll provide an emergency number so you could talk to a person.
 
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WMM201

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They have a number to an emergency clinic, which I may call if she gets really anxious tonight. Right now, she has settled down a little bit, but is basically waiting for her next bit of food. I don't know if this counts as an emergency to being her in, since she is using the litter box regularly (thank goodness!). There is a walk in clinic I might try tomorrow if it stays bad or gets worse. 😕
 

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I’m not sure if this would help but you could try bathing her with a medicated shampoo. It may help to relief whatever is causing her to itch and give her a bit of relief until you can see the vet.

I hope it’s just a stubborn irritant bothering her and will be washed off with the shampoo so hopefully no need to see the vet at all.
 
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WMM201

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I did use some wipes on her today to try to get rid of whatever might have been bothering her, but maybe I can try a waterless shampoo or something. I haven't washed her at home before, and I don't want to stress her out even more with me not knowing what to do! I hope it is something simple!
 
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WMM201

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Just be sure the wipes don't have chemicals, like Pampers aqua pure.

This may help;
How To Safely Bathe A Cat: The Complete Guide – Cat Articles
I have been using pet wipes for her, definitely avoiding human wipes! I decidedast night to restart her on the chlorphreniramine medication again, even though she hates it, at least until she stops her clindamycin. It's too soon to see if it has helped her any, but because of that clindamycin, there aren't a lot of options for her itchiness. This poor little girl. I am hoping that I can eventually start her on cbd oil, which I hope might help her with stress, her arthritis, and maybe even her allergies, instead of all the meds she is currently on. But I read the cbd oil can interact with other medications, so if it doesn't help for one of her conditions, she can't really stay on it at all. ☹
 

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CBD impacts the dosage of antibiotics and pain killers. You would want to check with your vet to see if they have recommendations on how it would impact medications. I know CBD has helped my girl with anxiety but she doesnt take anything else.
 
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WMM201

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CBD impacts the dosage of antibiotics and pain killers. You would want to check with your vet to see if they have recommendations on how it would impact medications. I know CBD has helped my girl with anxiety but she doesnt take anything else.
I definitely will! I wonder if my vet (in Michigan) is allowed to discuss cbd as a treatment. I know some states can't. I am glad it is helping your kitty's anxiety!
 
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WMM201

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We went to the vet this morning after a bad night of agitated, fur pulling kitty. Plus, kitty was also not wanting to eat anything. The vet decided to stop the clindamycin at least for a couple days at least, to see if that makes her stomach feel better. Her jaw still seems sensitive, even though it has been 5 weeks since her extractions. 😟 But the gums actually look good! Anyway, we also are doing a very short course of prednisolone, to stop her itching. I had to give her a big dose of gabapentin and also her antihistamine in the morning, plus the steroid. She ate some food (yay!) and isn't biting or pulling her fur right now, but she is soooooo sleepy. Absolutely zonked, because all the drugs add to sleepiness.

I did ask my vet about the cbd oil, but my state is one where vets can't recommend it. The vet said that she can't recommend dosage due to lack of studies, but that some clients said cbd helped their pets. She also said some clients said cbd made their pets more anxious. I think, once Mumu is off the steroids, I might try to give her a trial run of cbd oil, with half the dose that is recommended on the box, with her antihistamine chlorphreniramine, to see if she reacts okay. We really need to get her allergies under control!

Thanks for all your good wishes for Mumu!
 
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WMM201

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I guess I'm wondering about the steroid and the revolution...
Furballsmom Furballsmom do you mean drug interactions between the steroids and Revolution? Mumu has been on steroids while on revolution before, and it didn't bother her. After eating well yesterday, she is back to refusing her meals today. The steroids probably jump started her appetite, but she isn't wanting the food today. Sigh. I hope she will eat something later today! But the steroids have put a stop to her fur pulling and agitation, so at least that's a win.
 

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But the steroids have put a stop to her fur pulling and agitation, so at least that's a win.
Oh, this is wonderful to hear!!

If need be, rather than waiting for her which is stressful, you could consider enticing her-see the thread link below, or utilize handfeeding with a tongue depressor/popsicle stick, that has a little food on the end. Then open her mouth by gently pressing where the jaw hinges and scrape the food onto her tongue.

Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!
 
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WMM201

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She is still not really eating all her usual food. It took a whole day for her to finish one weruva slide and serve packet, but she ate a little kibble, too. Last night and this morning, she had some black, loose, super smelly stool. I was reading online that this may be blood from upper GI tract. I don't know if the prednisolone is causing this, and I left a message with my vet. She has a tech appt tomorrow for a laser therapy treatment on her leg, and I hope she can see a vet then. Since she is on the steroids and has to wean off it, I can't just stop giving it to her, even if it is causing bleeding, I think. Poor little thing! I hope it isn't some major problem. I doubt she ate anything that could have blocked or punctured her GI tract. I just want her to be comfortable.
 
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WMM201

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An update about Mumu: she didn't eat much for two days after starting the steroids. I asked the vet to give her an exam and draw blood for a test on Friday. She went home with sub q fluids and Cerenia too, since her hydration was already down since Christmas eve's treatment of sub q fluids. On Saturday the vet called to say that her kidney levels are too high, technically in renal failure, and that she needs to get more fluids for the weekend. My poor baby has been eating since getting the Cerenia, but only when she is also on gabapentin. The gabapentin was to calm her for the vet visit, but it is actually providing some pain relief that allows her to eat. She is still hunched over a lot, and very quiet. I haven't heard a meow out of her for two days. The pancreatitis test results haven't come back, but I am happy my girl is eating and is hydrated. She still has two more doses of prednisolone to go during her weaning, and I really hope her itchiness doesn't come back. With her kidneys being bad, I don't think the vet will be able to put her on steroids again. My heart is breaking for my Mumu, since I know she isn't comfortable. I decided to cancel her laser therapy appointments this coming week so she doesn't have to get in the car and be stressed, but if the vet wants to see her or get her more fluids, she will go back. I want to ask them if I could get her stronger pain medicine, too. The gabapentin is barely enough.
 

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An update about Mumu: she didn't eat much for two days after starting the steroids. I asked the vet to give her an exam and draw blood for a test on Friday. She went home with sub q fluids and Cerenia too, since her hydration was already down since Christmas eve's treatment of sub q fluids. On Saturday the vet called to say that her kidney levels are too high, technically in renal failure, and that she needs to get more fluids for the weekend. My poor baby has been eating since getting the Cerenia, but only when she is also on gabapentin. The gabapentin was to calm her for the vet visit, but it is actually providing some pain relief that allows her to eat. She is still hunched over a lot, and very quiet. I haven't heard a meow out of her for two days. The pancreatitis test results haven't come back, but I am happy my girl is eating and is hydrated. She still has two more doses of prednisolone to go during her weaning, and I really hope her itchiness doesn't come back. With her kidneys being bad, I don't think the vet will be able to put her on steroids again. My heart is breaking for my Mumu, since I know she isn't comfortable. I decided to cancel her laser therapy appointments this coming week so she doesn't have to get in the car and be stressed, but if the vet wants to see her or get her more fluids, she will go back. I want to ask them if I could get her stronger pain medicine, too. The gabapentin is barely enough.
I'm so sorry your kitty has had a rough one! Do you know what her allergies are? My cat does some overgrooming I thought was stress but now I'm suspecting a food allergy. Have you tried switching foods?
 
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