I have a one year old cat that bites herself and pulls out her hair so much that she is almost bald and has sores all over. I use Advanage on her once a month and spray her with Veterinarian's Best Natural care Hot Spot Itch Relief spray with tea tree oil and soothing aloe. It sometimes seems to help, but then most of the time she gets worst.
By Veronica from Leesburg, FL
I would recommend that you take your cat to the vet and have him/her checked for several things. It could be stress or one of several medical conditions. Animals get stressed just like people. If you work and this happens mainly when you are gone your pet might be stressed and doing this in reaction to your being gone. You also might want to have your pet checked for thyroid problems. We had a cat a few years back that was losing her fur and she had problems with her thyroid. Hope it is just separation anxiety which is much cheaper to handle by getting her/him a companion animal. The thyroid means medication for the rest of your cat's life. There are other medical problems also that cause this. So your first thing to do is take your pet to the Vet and have it checked for any medical problems.
It's possible your cat has allergies to its food. You might want to use a grain-free cat food for a few weeks to a month to see if it will help. It's kind of pricey, but I recommend Evo Herring & Salmon. Cats LOVE it (even picky eaters) and it has 50% protein and NO grain!
Also, if your cat has really dry skin, try adding Salmon oil to its diet.
ALSO: Here is a phone number for a high-end pet store near me (it's like a health-food store for pets) & they REALLY know their stuff. Call them and ask about your cat. They are super-friendly & open 9:AM to 9:PM PST.
MUD BAY PETS:
360-459-9200
Here is what I would do if I had this as one of my fosters.
First I would take away the spray with tea tree oil in it since cats can be harmed by tea tree oil.
Second, if the cat has a long coat, I would trim it, and then look for pustules or sores under the cat's coat.
All allergies, most of the time show up through the skin.
Buy a can of mackerel at the Dollar Store or Dollar General and give it a little each day.
Don't buy cheap cat food. Moist food is better than dry.
I would look for meat and not meat by products as a first ingredient.
Does the cat let you bathe her or him?
If the answer is no, then I would take a rag each and every day and have it wet with water, but not dripping, and go over the skin, softly, to the bottom of the skin where the hair starts to grow.
When you find sores, and you probably will, take a dosage syringe that you can buy at the drug store to give kids their RXs with, and fill it with peroxide.
Never use a flea collar on a cat. They are nasty.
Do get a drop of olive oil and give it to the cat, maybe by putting it on it's paw.
I would also look into buying fish antibiotics and giving him or her a round of those, if you can't afford the vets. I will look up the dosages for the cat after you let me know what size and weight it is.
I would use Drs. Foster and Smith, in their fish supplies and get cephalaxin. I wish they sold z paks, but they don't.
I would do a kitten formula with two drops of infant vitamin added:
evaporated milk mixed with water
water
glop of mayonnaise
2 drops of infant vitamins
Tell me how t his works if you like.
Robyn
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This is my neighbor's cat, but she always comes over to hang out in the garden or on the deck. She doesn't come in the house except to take this picture and I never feed her. The hair on her back is falling out and pulling it out and she has little red spots. She seems to be itching all the time. I feel bad for her and want to help her, but don't know how.
By Tara
She could have mange or a different skin problem, which can be discovered by testing a skin sample. It also could be a food allergy or lack of complete nutrition in her food. A food with a lot of fats and oils is sometimes required.
Are you sure your neighbor owns the cat, or is this a stray that just hangs around at their house? Either way, talk to your neighbor. Be pleasant and non-accusatory. Explain you're worried about the cat's condition, and ask if your neighbor has the funds for vet care at this time.
You may offer to pay the vet care, but beware. Many will take advantage of this and continue to neglect the pet knowing you will take it to the vet when things get really bad.
It might be best to try to get them to surrender the cat to the Humane Society or to you. If they won't surrender their pet and still won't get it care, call the Humane Society to report them. Don't worry about getting them in trouble. If they aren't abusing the cat they won't really get in trouble, but the Humane Society may require them to surrender the pet to the Humane Society.
My cat licks and pulls out her fur only in the summer. She is an inside cat. She does this till she is almost bald and bleeding; what can I do? I have tried giving her Benadryl, antibiotics, and using medicated powder. The vet said it is only a skin irritation, but it happens every year only in the summer. It looks very painful and if not bleeding, it is oozing. The rest of the year her fur is beautiful. She is albino and gorgeous most of the time.
By Judy
Change your Veterinarian and brush / comb her daily during the summer months when she is shedding her coat. Is she laying in front of glass door with hot sun on her.? Good luck.
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Why would a cat pull its hair out by the roots, under the chin and around the neck?
