Why is my cat licking his back, crying, and losing hair when touched?

Hello. It sounds like your kitty has hyperesthesia syndrome where he just overacts to any stimulation to his skin. It may be allergy derived & your veterinarian may be able to recommend some treatments & therapies to calm the reaction. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to ringworm. This could also be just a focal skin bacterial infection, among other possibilities. I recommend that you have Fawkes evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and treat accordingly. Ringworm can be transmitted to humans so just in case this is what is going with Fawkes, wear gloves when handling this lesion. Good luck and best wishes!

Washing cats with dish soap is not advised for flea treatment, because this destroys the natural barrier of the skin and causes it to dry-out and itch. It is also not effective for eliminating fleas. Below is a link to an article that has good information for finding and eliminating fleas. https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas/ If you are not able to find any fleas on him, then it's best to have Leo evaluated by a vet, so the cause of the itch can be identified and effectively treated. I hope that helps and Leo gets better soon.

Poor Onyx sounds very uncomfortable! He could be suffering from a flea allergy, which can happen when a cat has a previous heavy burden of fleas. I would have him seen by a vet today if possible or first thing Monday. If he is suffering from a flea allergy, the vet can prescribe medication to treat it.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It does sound like Puppet has fleas and is allergic to their bite. Some over the counter flea medications are not safe for cats. I recommend taking Puppet to a vet for an exam and safe flea preventions. She needs treatment for the flea allergy too as that won’t go away until the fleas are properly addressed. A collar will help stop the licking but the need to scratch won’t stop unless you take care of the fleas with veterinary approved products (not purchased from a store). Good luck and kisses to Puppet!

Not all flea medications are equal. I find that fipronil/Frontline products don't work very well. I would recommend that you talk to your vet about a prescription product like Bravecto or Revolution, or try a Seresto collar. Fighting cat fleas is tough, and even with excellent products, it may take 3 or more months to get rid of the fleas due to their life cycle and new fleas hatching. See the articles below. That being said, overgrooming (hair loss) and black skin (caused by chronic inflammation) can be caused by many things. Food allergies are possible, but Rengar is more likely to be allergic to chicken or beef than grains. Anxiety or pain are other possible causes. It would be a good idea to discuss this with your vet. https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-best-flea-prevention-plan-for-your-cat/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/excessive-grooming-in-cats-what-it-means-and-how-to-help/

There are a number of reasons that a cat will overgroom themselves, but one of the most common reasons that we will see a cat overgroom the inside or back of the thighs is a flea allergy. If a cat has a flea allergy, it only takes 1 flea bite a week to keep them itchy and cats are such good groomers that you will often never see fleas. So, it is always recommended to have all animals in the house on a monthly flea preventative if any animal in the house has allergies or skin problems. I have attached a handout below on allergies and itching in cats. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2607 If Voltaire is already on a regular flea preventative, the next step would be to have your veterinarian examine him and determine if he has any evidence of secondary bacterial, fungal or parasitic infections. If not, then you can discuss using anti-itching medications such as anti-histamines or steroids short term to resolve the itching and licking. And if those techniques are unsuccessful, then the final step might be a diet change. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.