over-grooming cat

Re: over-grooming cat

Angiy Michael — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:06:14 GMT

Hope some of these links might be useful . I have a cat with hyperaesthesia , one of the other issues mentioned in one fo the links..joyful XX

Re: over-grooming cat

Angiy Michael — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:04:39 GMT

http://www.tufts.edu/vet/vet_common/pdf/petinfo/dvm/case_march2005.pdf

Re: over-grooming cat

Angiy Michael — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:03:54 GMT

http://www.walthamusa.com/articles/Harvey.pdf

Re: over-grooming cat

Elvira — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 19:04:37 GMT

One of my Maine Coons has been over grooming/scratching until she was virtually bald over the back part of her body. I had bloods done for allergies at Avacta( was York) and she is highly allergic to house dust mites. There are also some food allergy issues but a change to food excluding everything she is allergic to made no difference. I have now started her on immunotherapy forbthe dust mites and her coat is beginning to recover and she is definitely grooming less. She has had to have courses of steroids as she was constantly scratching and grooming until sore but she is virtually off these now. I was convinced it was a behavioural problem as she is picked on a bit by others but the vet was convinced that the pattern of over grooming was more typical of an allergy.

Re: over-grooming cat

Mark Hedberg — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 14:48:23 GMT

I often find that bored cats shred furniture before they shred themselves! ;)

Re: over-grooming cat

rubyshoes — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 13:20:13 GMT

Is she an indoor cat? Could be down to pure boredom if she hasnt enough stimulation in her environemnt etc...

Re: over-grooming cat

Sal the 1st — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:35:45 GMT

Dont know if this helps at all but one of my cats suffers from constipation periodically and we have worked out that he usually overgrooms when he is starting with a belly ache ( he doesnt overgroom all the time usually just the day or day and a half before he needs a micralax ie the constipation starts before the overgrooming and isnt a result of the overgrooming

Re: over-grooming cat

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:54:25 GMT

New atopic a for cats Am sure rep said would help with that. Worth speaking to rep x

Re: over-grooming cat

Mark Hedberg — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:22:30 GMT

Make sure it's not any form of allergy. Any new food? How about flea control history? (no, the answer is not "i've never seen them so they're not there" - you don't believe the clients when they say that, do you? :) skin scrapes rule out mite infestation. Behaviour is a diagnosis of exclusion.

Rule out fleas: rub cat briskly over white piece of paper. Small black dust is flea dirt Flea combs can be fooled - always double check!

Rule out mites : skin scrape at least once, check for mites. Even if you don't see them, a course of advocate may be a good idea.

Rule out allergy: while i don't like long term steroids, a short course of steroids are one way to rule out itching - if a course of steroids do not lessen the licking, it's not itching. Antihistamines aren't strong enough in this instance. (note: the steroid is a diagnostic tool here, not a cure.) Animals can develop allergies later in life - 8 years is a bit old, bit this is part of a dermatological workup.

Rule out ringworm - uv light and culture.

any change in food? New perfume? New flowers? Anything in the garden new? Anything next door? Where are the bald patches?

Until you rule out the major skin diseases you shouldn't assume behaviour. If this all comes back negative, then behaviour may be considered, but in my opinion, not before.

apologies if your vet has done all this, but it's a really good idea, honest!

cheers, Mark