• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

OK cat people, WTF is wrong with my cat?

V

Viper GTS

Lifer
Back in May or so the g/f decided we needed a cat. We went to PetSmart & she picked out one of the cats from the local shelter. She's been great for the most part, well mannered, sh!ts where she's supposed to, etc.

About a month ago she started developing bald patches on her fur. No redness, just bald spots. She was grooming herself incessantly, to the point of pulling out her fur. We got a plastic cone for her, & took her to the vet. The vet tested her for ringworm, which came back negative.

Since we had just switched her from kitten to adult catfood we tried switching back for a bag, no difference. We also switched cat litter to one we had used early on (that she had no issue with). Again, no difference. She still scratched/bit/licked herself constantly when the cone was off.

We took her back to the vet, they gave her a shot for mites. No change. Frontline for fleas (though neither we nor the vet could find any fleas or traces of them on her), no change.

If we take her cone off she grooms incessantly - You can hold her upside down & she'll happily lick her stomach until you set her down. If you take her cone off she will sit in the same spot for hours. She scratched a 1/2" bloody spot in less than an hour when we took her cone off a few days after the mite shot (to see if it helped).

I don't know WTF to do now. The vet doesn't seem to have any more useful suggestions (re-testing for ringworm was her next plan). Any of you cat people seen anything like this? Should we go to a different vet?

I really don't want to make her wear her cone forever but for now it's the only way to keep her from tearing herself to pieces.

Viper GTS
 
Obsessive-Compulsive. I had a dog like that once. It just could not get it's paw off it's mind, and ended up constantly having sores. The vet could find no reason, other than the damn dog was obsessing on certain places and would not give it up.

Hopefully someone will be along, who knows more about this. I'd like to know, as well.
 
Leave the cone on for a long time, i'm pretty sure taking it off too early causes it to go back to bad habits.

Other than that, I can only think of to let it do what it does, or get another cat.

Im not sure about cats, but usually if you catch dogs in the act they will obey.

One more thing, there is a spray you can spray if the cat does it to certain areas, i think its like bitter apple or something, they taste it and stop licking, biting.

Had to do that for our dog that would bite off dead skin and such after she got nerve dmg in one paw from a car accident.

She doesnt lick or bite now, just hops around, man i love that gimp dog
 
I had the same sort of problem with one of my cats. e.g. Just one, the others didn't display that behavior, so that kind of rules out fleas.

My mother works at Tufts Vetinary School and knows some of the top vets in the field. So I brought my cat in and discovered something after a reletively inexpesive, but comprehensive test. ($200 or so).

She tested positive on 14 different allergies and borderline on 4.

Positive:
Grasses:
Fescue
Ryegrass
Johnson Grass
Weeds:
Pigweed/Careless Weed
Lamb's Quarters
Russian Thistle
Kochia/Firebush
Trees:
Cottonwood/Aspen
Ash
Box Elder/Maple
Fungi:
Cladosporium
Pullularia
Foods:
Poultry mix
Eggs
Brewers Yeast
Indoor:
Jute/Sisal
Insects:
Cockroach

The allergy panel was the last thing I had to do for her in regards to getting her well again. This, after hundreds of dollars ruling out everything from ear mites to to dermatological problems. There was one holistic vet that recommended liver, salve and a sedative. It was an infuriating journey. I feel absolutely responsible for my pets happiness and well being.

One thing that I absolutely recommend and is cheap, are Soft Paws. They're cheap, effective and last about 6 weeks. Buy them today!

Edit: I'd gone through a bunch of different foods before the allergy panel. Apparently, even the vet approved ones still had ingredients she still reacted to. Included in the report are 14 compatable brands of food and their manufacturers addresses. I've been on one of those brands, since and no problems at all. Ask your vet for an allery panel or where to get one done (it just involves a single blood draw).
 
Originally posted by: keird
I had the same sort of problem with one of my cats. e.g. Just one, the others didn't display that behavior, so that kind of rules out fleas.

My mother works at Tufts Vetinary School and knows some of the top vets in the field. So I brought my cat in and discovered something after a reletively inexpesive, but comprehensive test. ($200 or so).

She tested positive on 14 different allergies and borderline on 4.

Positive:
Grasses:
Fescue
Ryegrass
Johnson Grass
Weeds:
Pigweed/Careless Weed
Lamb's Quarters
Russian Thistle
Kochia/Firebush
Trees:
Cottonwood/Aspen
Ash
Box Elder/Maple
Fungi:
Cladosporium
Pullularia
Foods:
Poultry mix
Eggs
Brewers Yeast
Indoor:
Jute/Sisal
Insects:
Cockroach

The allergy panel was the last thing I had to do for her in regards to getting her well again. This, after hundreds of dollars ruling out everything from ear mites to to dermatological problems. There was one holistic vet that recommended liver, salve and a sedative. It was an infuriating journey. I feel absolutely responsible for my pets happiness and well being.

One thing that I absolutely recommend and is cheap, are Soft Paws. They're cheap, effective and last about 6 weeks. Buy them today!

Edit: I'd gone through a bunch of different foods before the allergy panel. Apparently, even the vet approved ones still had ingredients she still reacted to. Included in the report are 14 compatable brands of food and their manufacturers addresses. I've been on one of those brands, since and no problems at all. Ask your vet for an allery panel or where to get one done (it just involves a single blood draw).
Click to expand...

Will softpaws stop my cat from scratching the carpet? My female cat scratches one section of the carpet every morning until we open the door and let her in. She's already torn a patch of the carpet out and I've run out of ideas on how to stop her. Our vet wasn't able to tell us anything.
 
Originally posted by: keird
I had the same sort of problem with one of my cats. e.g. Just one, the others didn't display that behavior, so that kind of rules out fleas.

My mother works at Tufts Vetinary School and knows some of the top vets in the field. So I brought my cat in and discovered something after a reletively inexpesive, but comprehensive test. ($200 or so).

She tested positive on 14 different allergies and borderline on 4.

Positive:
Grasses:
Fescue
Ryegrass
Johnson Grass
Weeds:
Pigweed/Careless Weed
Lamb's Quarters
Russian Thistle
Kochia/Firebush
Trees:
Cottonwood/Aspen
Ash
Box Elder/Maple
Fungi:
Cladosporium
Pullularia
Foods:
Poultry mix
Eggs
Brewers Yeast
Indoor:
Jute/Sisal
Insects:
Cockroach

The allergy panel was the last thing I had to do for her in regards to getting her well again. This, after hundreds of dollars ruling out everything from ear mites to to dermatological problems. There was one holistic vet that recommended liver, salve and a sedative. It was an infuriating journey. I feel absolutely responsible for my pets happiness and well being.

One thing that I absolutely recommend and is cheap, are Soft Paws. They're cheap, effective and last about 6 weeks. Buy them today!

Edit: I'd gone through a bunch of different foods before the allergy panel. Apparently, even the vet approved ones still had ingredients she still reacted to. Included in the report are 14 compatable brands of food and their manufacturers addresses. I've been on one of those brands, since and no problems at all. Ask your vet for an allery panel or where to get one done (it just involves a single blood draw).
Click to expand...

Very interesting, I'll have to look into that. Diet was next on our list but the way the vet recommended doing it seemed rather haphazard (go find a food that has no ingredients in common with her current food). A blood test would be so much more efficient. Plus if they can recommend food based off that it solves the entire problem.

As far as the softpaws most of her damage is done with her mouth (the fur removal at least). We do keep her claws clipped though.

Viper GTS
 
Our cat had this problelm. We got a anti anxiety medicine compounded into a gel we would rub on her ear. This cleared it up for her. Eventually we moved and she was fine. I think it was something in our old appartment that was bothering her. Our other cat was allergic to something and would lick her fur off, we never found out what it was but that also cleared up after our move.
 
Originally posted by: dabuddha

Will softpaws stop my cat from scratching the carpet? My female cat scratches one section of the carpet every morning until we open the door and let her in. She's already torn a patch of the carpet out and I've run out of ideas on how to stop her. Our vet wasn't able to tell us anything.
Click to expand...


Yeah, they'll do the trick, nicely. Your cat will probably still knead the carpet, but will be unable to damage it. Plus you can pick out some crazy colors to impress all your friends.
 
Another vote for allergies.

Like someone else mentioned, our dog has allergies and will lick/chew at her paw until she develops sores. There are various treatments for it, and so far have been pretty successful.

There was a story I read or saw on the news lately about how tons of pets are beginning to develop allergies for some reason.
 
If it is allergies, I'd recommend calling some vets to find one that specializes in animalallergies. I know we have one around here that has commercials on the radio stating that they specifically do allergies in dogs and cats because most vets can't do much to isolate things and such,
 
Our cat has always had dry skin and/or allergies (especially to fleas, which he seldom has). As he's gotten older (17 now), it's gotten worse, to the point to where you have to be careful petting his back since it's so sensitive. And if you rub many spots, especially his chest, he starts kicking his leg (like a dog does) and licking the air like crazy. It's sad.
But he's never had the compulsive grooming problem. I think the heat in the house makes his skin worse. There is a anesthetic spray you get from the vet that helps some.
 
Sounds like you need to go to another vet. I'll say either it's allergies or if you wash your cat, maybe the shampoo you use.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top