Vets have suggested antihistamine for allergies which she takes every day to no avail. She licks in the same spots over and over until she oozes and bleeds. It is disgusting. She has done this for years and nothing we have tried has worked. She eats well, has companionship and seems quite content otherwise. Any suggestions?
She has NO fleas and has been to several vets with NO answer.
brutusmom
Favorite Answer
To me, this sounds like a "stress issue". Have you tried spraying that one spot with Bitter Apple Spray? This stuff tastes terrible, and the cat won't lick or chew where the spray is. Also, put some Neosporin Ointment on the sores to help them heal, and spray over and around with the Bitter Apple spray.
If you can get her out of the "habit" of licking that spot long enough for it to heal and the hair to grow back, maybe the habit will be broken.
The Bitter Apple spray is not-toxic, and can be used on cats, birds, dogs, etc...without any lasting effect.
So, if you haven't tried this, do so.......It MAY be the answer you're looking for.
Good luck.
kaadish
I'm not a vet either, but it seems to me that if your cat doesn't have fleas and is already being unsuccessfully treated for allergies there's got to be something else going on. Another possible cause for excessive licking is a fungal infection, but you've said that she's been doing this for years so a fungal infection is unlikely. As strange as it sounds, I think your cat may be exhibiting obsessive compulsive behavior. This usually happens when a cat endures some kind of stress like a move to a new house or loss of a companion. Whatever the reason, the licking behavior comforts the cat and then the behavior continues long after the cause of the stress is gone.
OCD is something that occurs more often in dogs than in cats since cats are more independent than their canine counterparts, but it does still happen. With cats, OCD is more prevalent in females than in males. Your cat seems to fit the description.
I would recommend talking to a vet about trying an anti-anxiety medication of some kind. Acepromazine is the most commonly used medication for dogs. I'm not sure if it would work for cats, though. You could ask about using Fluoxetine, Paroxetine, or Sertraline. I don't recommend long-term use of medication for any pet because of the potential for kidney and liver failure. (My dog is in the early stages of kidney failure because her former owner gave her Ace for years to treat her separation anxiety.) But short-term use (a few months) combined with behavior modification should help. Ask your vet if it's safe to use Bitter Apple on your cat's leg after it's healed. This product is normally used to keep cats from chewing on houseplants. If not, see if there is a product that is safe to use that will deter your cat from licking itself so much. If you do see your cat licking that spot on her leg, push her head away and try to distract her with a favorite toy.
Pitlover
I am not a vet therefore i cannot give you the so called proffessional adivce. Hoewever, I do have a cat and i have researched illnesses and causes for allergies and foods play a great role in that. Just to tell you that when my dog had severe diahrrea the vet wanted to prescribe this so called "diet" food for him that would help his stool consistency. I looked at the ingridients of what the food and it was terrible. It contained wheat, corn, and all sorts of brewers grains.
The food i was giving him is very expensive and works well with most breeds however, this food was causing diahrrea because he couldnt handle rice. I switched the food to one containning potatoe as the main carbohydrate and he became 100 percent better.
If you are feeding your kitty low grade food containing toxins that can certantly cause the allergies and the consistent licking because the toxins of the food leave throuh the skin. check out this website so you can find a good food. http://petfoodratings.net/ also, you should be growing your cat on a weekly basis brushing it and using cat wipes that remove dandruff and dirt. I bathe my cat once a month and it helps the shedding and keeps her skin clean.
hotwheels122287
i dont have any allergy med suggestions but i do know that my dog did the same thing and we bought this spray that is really sour to animals, you spray right on the spot where she is licking and eventually wont want to lick there anymore because it tastes bad... its a suggestion until you take her to the vet or something to see whats wrong..which is another thing i suggest. dont take allergy suggestions here because just like people animals can react to the wrong medicine...
Anonymous
i could hit upon a 2d vet. That answer isn't fixing the issue. It in basic terms places a bandaid on it. hypersensitive reactions are no longer uncommon. a lot of issues would reason hypersensitive reactions, and that they are complicated and on occasion high priced to objective for and cope with. have you ever tried any shampoos, medicated or in any different case? they'd handle various conceivable motives and additionally discourage added licking in the event that they style undesirable sufficient....in basic terms a theory.