Why is my cat over-grooming and whining to go outside after coming in?

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.

It could be stress! I would recommend taking him to a vet to rule out any health issues, especially if the hair loss is enough to cause any balding on him. As for stress inside the house, adding in a pheromone diffuser such as Comfort Zone can help with inter-cat stress. Making sure everyone has access to their own food, water, litter, hiding spots, etc can also help decrease stress. If Dexter likes to go outside, but you are concerned about him being out there, I would also look into a catio. This is a patio that is completely screened in that usually attaches to a window or door and allows your cat to be outside/observe without wandering around and getting injured. It may be just the little nook he needs to relax!

Poor Boda! Overgrooming is usually a symptom of allergic skin disease or emotional stress. He may respond quite well to a veterinary prescription allergy diet like Hills z/d and stop overgrooming completely. Some cats need to be on allergy medication like steroids to help with the symptoms. If stress or emotional issues are the culprit, then Boda might need to be on antidepressants or anti anxiety medication designed for cats like Zylkene or Feliway spray. If you want to try something before taking him to the vet, buy some Feliway cat pheromone spray and allergy diet like z/d and try that for 8-10 weeks, as both may work and save you a trip to the vet! Good luck!

Overgrooming can be a sign of stress / behavioral change. It can also be a sign that the cat is painful or uncomfortable in a particular area. Many times I see this with arthritis. I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at him for further recommendations in case this is something that can be solved with a physical exam so that the most appropriate treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any further questions or concerns.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would encourage you to enrich his environment inside by adding toys, scratch pads and other things that he can find interesting. I also really like a product called Feliway which helps to make cats feel more at ease in their environment. This is something you can easily get from your pet store or online. Doing these things is likely going to help with this tremendously. Good luck and and have a great day!

Overgrooming can be caused by a few medical problems, such as fleas, food allergies, mites, or internal medical disease. I would take Milly to a vet to rule out these issues. If the vet can't find anything physically wrong, then it could be behavioral. You can try supplements for stress like Zylkene or Comfort Zone/Feliway. Here is some more information on overgrooming in cats that includes things to discuss with your vet: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2565

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Excessive licking and grooming in cats is often related to allergies or stress. Moving house and adapting to the new environment can be stressful for many cats. Cat pheromones (for example Feliway) are typically used to treat stress-related overgrooming. They are available over-the-counter at pet shops and Online retailers. It wound be definitely worth to try a pheromone diffuser for Naomi. However, if the overgrooming start causing skin wounds, skin inflammation or hair falling, you should take Naomi to your vets to check her over and potentially investigate for allergic problems.