Cat licking too much coconut oil for tear stains. What to do?

Poor Tigger! It's possible the coconut oil is tasty, and thus causing him to lick more than he normally would, further irritating the foot pads. It would be best to stop using it and place an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Tigger for a few days to give his feet a chance to rest and heal. If the irritation doesn't resolve, or you see open wounds or sores on the feet, then having a vet examine it to rule out problems such as bacterial or yeast infections is best.

Excessive amounts of any fat (such as coconut oil) can cause diarrhea, but coconut oil is not a problem for cats otherwise. In fact, many people recommend feeding coconut oil for a healthy coat since it contains good fats. I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would not recommend coconut oil. This will close the pores of the skin and cause a skin infection. I recommend an over the counter aloe and oatmeal shame. This is going to cause a nice shinny coat. I do understand your diet preference but cats do eat protein in the wild and is needed for there proper growth. However if you have Holly on a proper diet she does not need any type of supplements the normal food is enough. For any type of bug- maybe fleas - I would recommend a topical flea prevention every 30 days. Typically the baths only wash off the fleas but does not prevent them from coming back.

It is not recommended that you do this. Coconut oil is not a cure-all. It is very high in fat and could cause a deadly pancreatitis if she licks it off and ingests too much. If you would like to post again and tell us what you are attempting to treat then we can maybe help you find an appropriate product.

A small amount of coconut oil will not harm your cat, however it likely won't clean his teeth effectively either. Your best option is a toothbrush or finger brush and a pet approved toothbrush. If he will allow, brush Midnight's teeth daily.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think bathing a cat every week is excessive. I do not think bathing him will help much with the hair loss. I would be sure he doesn't have fleas or lice. If he has fleas sue a good product like comfortis, Serest collar or bravecto. If there are no fleas I would have him seen by your Vet to have him tested for mites (skin scrape) and ringworm (fungal culture). If all medical conditions have been ruled out her may be pulling hi hair out for behavioral reasons. Be care with too much coconut oil, since cats groom and Micole is excessively grooming ingesting too much can be a problem. I hope this helps and I wish Micole a speedy recovery!

I feel your pain on this issue! I have a Persian, and he gets terrible tear stains. I use a tear stain remover on my cat, which I get from the pet store. I would get one of those, as they help remove the stains. You can try feeding him from a porcelain or metal bowl. Plastic bowls can crack and retain bacteria, which can cause continued problems with excessive tearing. You can also give him filtered water instead of tap water, as that's reported to help as well.