I have a cat that we have had for 3 years she has started obsessive licking and makes her self bleed?
Thursday, August 19th, 2010 at
9:25 am
my cat will not stop licking her belly and paws she does this all the time and makes herself bleed and she has bald spots. she has no fur on her belly at all. We purchased her a cat condo thinking this may give her something to do but it has not helped at all. Her front paw is so bad that it looks like the bone is going to start showing. Does anyone know what may be the cause and if there is anything that we can do to stop this behavior?
Filed under: Cat Behavior
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Have you taken her to the vet? This could be a skin irritation, mental health problems, or something more serious.
This is a medical condition, you should take her to the vet. Sometimes this excessive grooming is caused by a skin infection and other times there is something wrong internally and the cat is trying to correct it by licking the area. For example when a cat has a urinary tract infection, they may compulsively clean their bottom.
Skin problems.. Is she on a different food? …Get her to the vet.. You can get creams to put on the spots she licks…
i don’t know what cud have caused this but, i have a friend whose cat did that exact same thing and they had to purchase a cone for her(like the ones they put on them after they get fixed). you would have to make sure it stayed indoors though(if its not already an indoor cat).
Take her to the vet.
like the other answers bring her to the vet.
there are several things that can be wrong.
she may have fleas, do you use frontline ?
if so you should get your cat on it.
her skin may be irritated and need ointment.
it could also be a bite from a spider or such.
but please check the vet this doesnt sound very good. "/
but i bet she will turn out fine (:
I have a friend who’s cat does the same thing. She was stressed because my friend was in college and couldn’t spend a lot of time with her. Once the semester was over and a trip to the vet for some cream the cat was fine and hair started to grow back. Just be patient and all will be alright again.
Obsessive licking can be caused from stress. A change in the house, new noises or something similar. Anytime something like that starts you should call your vet or animal care specialist immediately.
there is something wrong with her skin!!!! you have to take her to the vet, it was very irrasponsible for you to let it go this long!!!! she could have mange, fleas, a rash, or something very serious. take her to the vet!!!!!!!!!
try grannicks bitter apple at the pet store
She needs to be seen by a vet. This kind of behaviour can be caused by parasites, allergies and dietary issues Only when a vet has ruled out all medical causes, should it then be considered a behavioural problem. In which case, your vet may be able to help you or refer you to a qualified animal behaviourist who can.
In the meantime, the article below may be helpful to you.
http://www.kittens-lair.net/cat-health/lick-dermatitis.html
Hope she will be feeling better soon.