Why is my cat chewing her tail and twitching? Will fur grow back?

Hello. There really are no supplements other than time that will allow the fur to grow back. Addressing her underlying condition & preventing her from continuing to pull out her coat will definitely allow her beautiful coat to regrow. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Allergies would be the most common cause of chewing/itching and hair loss if there are no fleas. Cats can be allergic to proteins in their food or environmental allergens like dust mites, molds and pollens. I'd recommend making an appointment to have your vet examine Kolbi.

He could have pain in his tail from a skin wound or fracture that is causing him to traumatize his tail. He might also have feline hyperesthesia syndrome, a likely neurologic disease that can result in self trauma. I’d recommend having your vet examine him to see if there is any evidence of other diseases and to discuss starting medication if needed.

Poor kitty! I'm sorry to hear that you're having this problem - feline hyperesthesia can be a frustrating problem. I would not recommend trying to bandage his tail to his body, since there is a risk of cutting off circulation and causing severe damage if it's positioned awkwardly or wrapped too tight. I'm not sure what medications your kitty is currently on, but if he's still very uncomfortable and constantly biting his tail, I would recommend calling your vet on Monday morning to talk about what else can be done. Many cats with this disorder respond very well to some combination of prednisone, gabapentin, and/or phenobarbital, and may also do well with adjunct treatment options like laser therapy or acupuncture. In the meantime, I would go to the pet store and get a larger cone, so that he can't reach his tail and do further damage until you are able to get his medication adjusted to make him more comfortable.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Ketkat! The most common reason for chewing the back or the tail is fleas. Use a fine tooth comb and brush above her hips and down the tail. If you catch an adult flea in the comb you have an answer. If you don't, use a wet white tissue or paper towel to remove the fur and debris from the comb. If you see black squiggly flecks that when wet look like blood streaks that indicates flea poop. I would recommend a good flea preventative like the Serest collar, Bravecto for Comfortis. be sure that ALL animals in the house are treated. Other possibilities are skin allergies from the environment or food and cats can over groom from anxiety or behavioral reasons. If you do not find fleas I would take her to the Vet for a diagnosis so you can get her feeling better. I wish you all the best!

Poor Frenchy! It certainly could be stress. If you haven't yet, I would try an anti-anxiety medicine like amitryptilline. If you can't give a pill, your vet can call the compounding pharmacy and see about getting it put into a gel that can be put on her ear tip. Cats that are mostly indoors easily get frustrated because that don't get to do the normal things outdoor cats get to do like hunting, etc. Also, if your vet hasn't tried a long acting steroid like depo-Medrol, I would talk to them about that. Steroids are great for allergies and cats usually tolerate it well as long as they are otherwise healthy. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies as opposed to being behavioral. This is possibly more specifically due to flea allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!