Over washing causing hair loss

[Dizzie911]

Please help I am terrible worried....
I feel I need to start by giving you some back ground, we took in a stray old female about 18 months ago. We tried when we got her to introduce both cats scent swapping, showing each other via a stair gate, spending time together with support. This never seemed to make great progress they never fought they just stared at each other occasionally hissed and then walked off. We live in a 3 storey house and for the last year both cats have been living really happily her on the top floor him on the bottom and then both sharing the middle only occasionally meeting, resulting in the odd hiss.
Move forward to now we have been on lock down for 4 weeks and myself and my husband have been working from home for all of it so have not left the house for more than an hour a day. In this time the female cat has moved to spending more time on the middle floor due to us being around.

In the last week two weeks we have noticed our cat Male has licked his nipple and penis so much they are bald. We called the vet (who we can’t see) and they told us to keep him in and see if he wee we kept him in and he wee twice over two days both big wees and he didn’t seem uncomfortable. So we let him back out. Since then is his continuing to lick and is now refusing to go anywhere other than on the ground floor and will only sleep in his basket where until now he has slept on on sofas bed in bags etc all over etc house.

I just know he is not right and it is making me so sad as he is such a loving cat I’m so worried he will just up and leave. It’s petrifying me.
The vet says they think he’s stressed due to the other cat making her way down onto his floor etc but I don’t know how to make it better. I have Feliway friends plugged in I am trying to get him to come up stairs with treats to reward it when she isn’t around.

I would be greatful of any help, I know it may be that we need to rehome the female, but as she is so old and a stray this won’t be easy and given current lock down we can’t do this at the moment.

If anyone can help me
stop my male licking
make him feel happy
offer support to help them not be fearful of each other I’d be greatful!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Your vet is making a uninformed guess as to what is wrong with your male cat, and - in all actuality - you being home all the time could just as easily be impacting him as well. Everyone's schedule has changed, and many people are talking about how it is affecting their cats.

You don't really give a description of what is going on when the two cats encounter each other since the lockdown, so that would be helpful and might provide some additional insight. You say they are fearful of each other, but a hiss when seeing each other really doesn't describe fearful, if that is all they are doing.

If he eating/drinking OK? I would watch his pee habits (and poop too) for a bit longer than just two days, since he apparently goes when he is outside and you really have no idea what is normal for him. It will also allow for you to check any changes that might occur in the coming days. I would also spend time with him on 'his' floor so that he is not down there alone all the time. And, if you spend more time with the female on 'her' floor, perhaps she won't see as much need to be constantly on the level where you are at.

I am not entirely convinced there isn't a health issue going on with your male cat - and, maybe it is from stress - not only from the female being on the middle level more, but from the overall changes going on in your house because of the lockdown. Try to make the best of the situation, it won't last forever. And, it is certainly not worth considering re-homing your female, by any means!!!

Keep an eye on him for other signs of a health issue brewing. Ultimately, if he gets any worse, you are going to have to find a vet who will see him. On that note, you might ask to get a copy of all his records, so that you can have them on hand to share with another vet so they would have an idea about his history.