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polly
Well-Known Member
What do you give him for fleas? An old cat of mine used to overgroom because of an allergy to the drops, I guess they made him itchy. Weird that it's on his legs though.
LeytonCatLady
Well-Known Member
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Felpreva. He's been on that for over a year and this noticeable loss is fairly recent.
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
hmm.
would he have been walking through long grass / undergrowth somewhere? wonder if there was some insect life that's attacked him?
other thing is that once kitties who have been 'done' (especially if they were neutered quite young) lose fur, their hormones may not quite be up to re-growing fur - one of the mogs i lived with got a bit behind on flea treatment (had to catch them when one was out, so as not to risk one grooming the other too soon) and lost a bit of fur as a result - the vet gave him a shot of something that helped.
He only really uses our back yard, which does have quite a lot of grasses in tubs, but nowt he hasn't walked in for nearly a year. He walks on the top of our fence and the neighbours garage (no one living there now though) but no further, and never into the alleyway.
He was 6 when we got him last November.
We do have a rat problem round our way, but again, nowt new, been that way for years now.
RubyToogood
RubyTwobikes
Carrie brought in a whole massive chicken breast today and left it in the living room for my lunch. I wonder if someone is feeding the fox?
Rebecca Riot
Well-Known Member
One of my lot did that once but I found out later that she'd pinched it from a neighbour's house. That'll teach them to leave their back door open!
RubyToogood
RubyTwobikes
In other news, she has amazingly accepted the cat bed I knitted her. Underneath is the pile of physio exercise printouts she was nesting on before.
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Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
It's a really difficult one, with so many possible causes.
Vet might be able to take a skin scraping to test for ringworm and scabies/mange or similar common fungal/parasite cause of hair loss if it's not clearing up or is getting worse.
If it's overgrooming, it can be triggered initially by pain or stress or by an allergic reaction to something. Unfortunately, a lot of the time causes of allergies are environmental and aren't easy to eliminate compared to dietary allergies, and allergy testing that might be done on humans is horrible for cats and not really feasible, so it's more a case of trial and error to find out what a cat might be allergic to, if it even is an allergy.
Another issue is if it's overgrooming, once they've started, they can get hooked on the endorphins released when they pull fur out, and will carry on with it even once the initial trigger is removed, for that "ahh" feeling.
Things to consider:
- Although it's difficult to eradicate environmental allergens, you could try an exclusion diet for a few weeks - a lot of cats become sensitive to chicken and/or cereals or soya (which are in a lot of cat foods), but duck and venison based foods are considered hypoallergenic for cats because those ingredients aren't commonly used in pet food, and are often the start point in trying to work out whether it's a food allergy. There are also now hypoallergenic foods that use insects as their main source of protein. I don't know what brands to recommend these days, but back in the day James Wellbeloved used to do a duck and rice based food that was considered good as the basis to eliminating food allergens to see if that improves things. If you feed dry, food changes need to be gradual over the course of a week at least to prevent digestive upset, this is less important with wet food.
- As I mentioned above, a skin scrape from the affected area done by the vet would be able to show involvement of pathogen/fungus/mites that aren't visible to the naked eye.
- Hair loss due to flea allergy can continue even during flea treatment as most treatments rely on the flea biting and the toxin being delivered to it via that, so an allergy can continue even with regular treatments - flea bite allergy tends to result in hair loss on the head, neck and base of the tail before affecting other areas though, which doesn't seem to match with what you're saying.
- Also a general health check, which I'm sure you're already on top of anyway, to make sure there's no likelihood of abdominal pain or digestive discomfort, which can be a cause of overgrooming on the abdomen and thighs (although often those places are overgroomed for other reasons, because the cat can easily reach them)
- If there's overgrooming caused by itching or discomfort, or due to habitual overgrooming that is in itself causing an itch/scratch/endorphine release cycle, then a steroid shot can help to break the cycle
Those are some possible things to consider and ask the vet about.
Sometimes it just isn't easily solvable though, Radar had a ton of skin issues and although some of them were easily dealt with, he overgroomed and had bald thighs and lower abdomen for his entire life, we'd see him plucking bits of fur out, and sometimes needed a steroid shot when he overgroomed to the point of causing skin irritation.
Oh I would say if you see him overgrooming, try not to either negatively or positively reinforce that in ways that either scold or give attention, I think trying to distract him perhaps by using a wand toy that you can pull across the floor and get his attention from a distance in something else might be worth a go. But it is a difficult one to solve
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
pogofish
Testicle Hairstyle
Looks like she's getting ready to do the laundry, old style
If she could only learn to help me with the painting I need to get finished..!
Although tonight I was waylaid by having to replace my water heater switch.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
I adore my Jakey, and he is always my priority.
However I am struggling at the moment with the sheer amount of pissing that is going on with this latest UTI - I mean better that than him getting a blockage in his urethra - but since his first bout of UTI back in May he's had a looser than usual relationship with the litter tray anyway, no worries, we were dealing with it with puppy pads, it doesn't matter if he would rather go on a pad, or can't quite make it to the tray in time, or occasionally wees in his sleep.
But at the moment it's just brutal for us - there is so much wee (some of it bloody) all over the place, he prefers to go on a puppy pad on my lap and he's filling that up to sopping wet (again, good that he is at least able to wee). It seems like there are pissy towels and blankies and pillowcases just taking over the flat atm and I can't keep up with the laundry - I've ordered some washable incontinence bed pads but they're going to need washing too.
Our carpet, once he's gone bless his little heart, is going to have to be incinerated.
I love my cat, I'll do anything to make sure he is happy, and for right now it seems like this is likely to be a few not so great days til the antibiotics kick in, then some more happiness to come (obviously we keep note of how he's feeling and if he's not showing any improvement in a few days we know what needs to be done), but it's difficult just dealing with the sheer amount of piss over everything.
Anyway, I didn't want any advice or anything, just wanted to get that off my chest amongst people who love their animals as much as I do and will understand about such things.
However I am struggling at the moment with the sheer amount of pissing that is going on with this latest UTI - I mean better that than him getting a blockage in his urethra - but since his first bout of UTI back in May he's had a looser than usual relationship with the litter tray anyway, no worries, we were dealing with it with puppy pads, it doesn't matter if he would rather go on a pad, or can't quite make it to the tray in time, or occasionally wees in his sleep.
But at the moment it's just brutal for us - there is so much wee (some of it bloody) all over the place, he prefers to go on a puppy pad on my lap and he's filling that up to sopping wet (again, good that he is at least able to wee). It seems like there are pissy towels and blankies and pillowcases just taking over the flat atm and I can't keep up with the laundry - I've ordered some washable incontinence bed pads but they're going to need washing too.
Our carpet, once he's gone bless his little heart, is going to have to be incinerated.
I love my cat, I'll do anything to make sure he is happy, and for right now it seems like this is likely to be a few not so great days til the antibiotics kick in, then some more happiness to come (obviously we keep note of how he's feeling and if he's not showing any improvement in a few days we know what needs to be done), but it's difficult just dealing with the sheer amount of piss over everything.
Anyway, I didn't want any advice or anything, just wanted to get that off my chest amongst people who love their animals as much as I do and will understand about such things.
I can always rely on you for a fully thought-out reply, thank you so much. I've got him an appointment in an hour at the vets thank god. He never stopped grooming last night, actually driving me mad whilst I was feeling deeply sorry for the poor wee bugger, it's clearly driving him mad. We did change his wet food from Felix As Good As It Looks to the Felix original, and he's had one full 40 day pack of that, so that might be one cause, but as an allergy sufferer myself, I know that itch-scratch-itch cycle all too well. Must admit, I was trying my best to distract him from it, clicking my fingers, stroking his head more, but he's also now getting a bit tetchy with me, as anyone would in his position.
It's a really difficult one, with so many possible causes.
Vet might be able to take a skin scraping to test for ringworm and scabies/mange or similar common fungal/parasite cause of hair loss if it's not clearing up or is getting worse.
If it's overgrooming, it can be triggered initially by pain or stress or by an allergic reaction to something. Unfortunately, a lot of the time causes of allergies are environmental and aren't easy to eliminate compared to dietary allergies, and allergy testing that might be done on humans is horrible for cats and not really feasible, so it's more a case of trial and error to find out what a cat might be allergic to, if it even is an allergy.
Another issue is if it's overgrooming, once they've started, they can get hooked on the endorphins released when they pull fur out, and will carry on with it even once the initial trigger is removed, for that "ahh" feeling.
Things to consider:
- Although it's difficult to eradicate environmental allergens, you could try an exclusion diet for a few weeks - a lot of cats become sensitive to chicken and/or cereals or soya (which are in a lot of cat foods), but duck and venison based foods are considered hypoallergenic for cats because those ingredients aren't commonly used in pet food, and are often the start point in trying to work out whether it's a food allergy. There are also now hypoallergenic foods that use insects as their main source of protein. I don't know what brands to recommend these days, but back in the day James Wellbeloved used to do a duck and rice based food that was considered good as the basis to eliminating food allergens to see if that improves things. If you feed dry, food changes need to be gradual over the course of a week at least to prevent digestive upset, this is less important with wet food.
- As I mentioned above, a skin scrape from the affected area done by the vet would be able to show involvement of pathogen/fungus/mites that aren't visible to the naked eye.
- Hair loss due to flea allergy can continue even during flea treatment as most treatments rely on the flea biting and the toxin being delivered to it via that, so an allergy can continue even with regular treatments - flea bite allergy tends to result in hair loss on the head, neck and base of the tail before affecting other areas though, which doesn't seem to match with what you're saying.
- Also a general health check, which I'm sure you're already on top of anyway, to make sure there's no likelihood of abdominal pain or digestive discomfort, which can be a cause of overgrooming on the abdomen and thighs (although often those places are overgroomed for other reasons, because the cat can easily reach them)
- If there's overgrooming caused by itching or discomfort, or due to habitual overgrooming that is in itself causing an itch/scratch/endorphine release cycle, then a steroid shot can help to break the cycle
Those are some possible things to consider and ask the vet about.
Sometimes it just isn't easily solvable though, Radar had a ton of skin issues and although some of them were easily dealt with, he overgroomed and had bald thighs and lower abdomen for his entire life, we'd see him plucking bits of fur out, and sometimes needed a steroid shot when he overgroomed to the point of causing skin irritation.
Oh I would say if you see him overgrooming, try not to either negatively or positively reinforce that in ways that either scold or give attention, I think trying to distract him perhaps by using a wand toy that you can pull across the floor and get his attention from a distance in something else might be worth a go. But it is a difficult one to solve
I'm hoping the vet gives him a shot of something for short-term relief today, and obviously, any investigations will need to be done. I'll report back later, thank you so much again xx
LeytonCatLady
Well-Known Member
Love to both you and Epona ! And both your lads.
cesare
shady's dreams ♥
Here too! X
Skinny Ethel
Well-Known Member
Come on Jakey fight it x x x
Right then, no flea allergy because apparently that wouldn't show in the places where he's licking/biting, but allergy of some kind IS suspected. No skin scrape taken for now, but he's been given a 2 week course of steroids, gonna change his wet food back to what he was on before, and then back for a progress check.
I've given him his first dose already. He is soooo much easier to drug than Raz was - she could smell drugs a mile away, would even know when I was crushing/adding to her food BEHIND a closed door, then flat-out refuse to eat. He watched me crush the pill, mix it with Lickylix (that stuff is brilliant), put it down for him and he wolfed it immediately!
I've given him his first dose already. He is soooo much easier to drug than Raz was - she could smell drugs a mile away, would even know when I was crushing/adding to her food BEHIND a closed door, then flat-out refuse to eat. He watched me crush the pill, mix it with Lickylix (that stuff is brilliant), put it down for him and he wolfed it immediately!
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
Archaeologists Find First-ever Evidence of a Cat Kneading, in Jerusalem
Very interesting as this occurs also in humans and is known as Trichotillomania. I once knew someone who suffered from it.
It's a really difficult one, with so many possible causes.
Vet might be able to take a skin scraping to test for ringworm and scabies/mange or similar common fungal/parasite cause of hair loss if it's not clearing up or is getting worse.
If it's overgrooming, it can be triggered initially by pain or stress or by an allergic reaction to something. Unfortunately, a lot of the time causes of allergies are environmental and aren't easy to eliminate compared to dietary allergies, and allergy testing that might be done on humans is horrible for cats and not really feasible, so it's more a case of trial and error to find out what a cat might be allergic to, if it even is an allergy.
Another issue is if it's overgrooming, once they've started, they can get hooked on the endorphins released when they pull fur out, and will carry on with it even once the initial trigger is removed, for that "ahh" feeling.
Things to consider:
- Although it's difficult to eradicate environmental allergens, you could try an exclusion diet for a few weeks - a lot of cats become sensitive to chicken and/or cereals or soya (which are in a lot of cat foods), but duck and venison based foods are considered hypoallergenic for cats because those ingredients aren't commonly used in pet food, and are often the start point in trying to work out whether it's a food allergy. There are also now hypoallergenic foods that use insects as their main source of protein. I don't know what brands to recommend these days, but back in the day James Wellbeloved used to do a duck and rice based food that was considered good as the basis to eliminating food allergens to see if that improves things. If you feed dry, food changes need to be gradual over the course of a week at least to prevent digestive upset, this is less important with wet food.
- As I mentioned above, a skin scrape from the affected area done by the vet would be able to show involvement of pathogen/fungus/mites that aren't visible to the naked eye.
- Hair loss due to flea allergy can continue even during flea treatment as most treatments rely on the flea biting and the toxin being delivered to it via that, so an allergy can continue even with regular treatments - flea bite allergy tends to result in hair loss on the head, neck and base of the tail before affecting other areas though, which doesn't seem to match with what you're saying.
- Also a general health check, which I'm sure you're already on top of anyway, to make sure there's no likelihood of abdominal pain or digestive discomfort, which can be a cause of overgrooming on the abdomen and thighs (although often those places are overgroomed for other reasons, because the cat can easily reach them)
- If there's overgrooming caused by itching or discomfort, or due to habitual overgrooming that is in itself causing an itch/scratch/endorphine release cycle, then a steroid shot can help to break the cycle
Those are some possible things to consider and ask the vet about.
Sometimes it just isn't easily solvable though, Radar had a ton of skin issues and although some of them were easily dealt with, he overgroomed and had bald thighs and lower abdomen for his entire life, we'd see him plucking bits of fur out, and sometimes needed a steroid shot when he overgroomed to the point of causing skin irritation.
Oh I would say if you see him overgrooming, try not to either negatively or positively reinforce that in ways that either scold or give attention, I think trying to distract him perhaps by using a wand toy that you can pull across the floor and get his attention from a distance in something else might be worth a go. But it is a difficult one to solve
I knew it, cats were there first and God gave the land to them. Felinia will last for ever, purge the humans.Archaeologists Find First-ever Evidence of a Cat Kneading, in Jerusalem
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
Just in case he gets wise to the crushed pill in lickylix trick (or ever needs to be given medication that is coated and can't be crushed), I use the cat pill putty, it's not called that it's called "Easy-Pill, Giver Cat" or something that doesn't roll off the tongue well at all - fortunately most cats seem to love it and you just break a bit off the stick of it, smush it round the pill, and down it goes - Jakey lets me know if I'm late with his pill erm I mean "treat time"
Sonic of course didn't like the stuff and was a nightmare to pill, typical of the prima donna he was
