My cat overgrooms. Are there alternatives to Prozac for treatment?

I am sorry to hear about your kitty! Some of the most commonly used drugs to treat psychogenic alopecia in kitties include fluoxetine, amitryptylline, and clomipramine. We may sometimes use a supplement called Zylkene as well which can help decrease anxiety in some cats. True cases of psychogenic alopecia,however, are rare. It is much more common to have hair loss due to a skin disease/itching. If your vet hasn't done testing yet to ensure there isn't a cause for itching then I would consider this, or a referral to a veterinary dermatologist. You can read more about this condition and the possible causes/testing at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2565.

If she’s not responded to those things I recommend an anti inflammatory injection from your veterinarian. That will stop the overgrooming and the fur should start to grow in. Then the diffuser and other things you’ve done should reduce the chances of the overgrooming to recurr after the injection wears off. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Mindy.

I'm sorry Lynx has problems with anxiety. One option for decreasing stress is to add a Feliway Diffuser ( https://www.feliway.com/us#redirected ) to your house. This is a calming pheromone that will work for a month and may be beneficial long term. I have also had luck with Rescue Remedy ( http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-pet/ ) which can be added to the water. Although you mentioned that this has been a long time problem, it certainly would be worth having your veterinarian examine Lynx to check for any underlying skin problems that are playing a role in her over grooming. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Cats often over groom from stress and allergies. Giving medication for allergies should help control the itching and if George stops licking for a while then the skin should stop itching and hopefully you can then decrease or stop the medication. Making sure there are no fleas is important as one flea bite can cause itching for a week or more in some cats. Keeping George busy with toys and playing can help reduce boredom and time for overgrooming too. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for George.

Yes, the overgrooming can be from stress or anxiety. To control it quickly you can get a steroid injection from your veterinarian. You can also try using a pheromone diffuser like Feliway, and the anti anxiety supplement Solliquin. These things will help stop the overgrooming until she settles in with the new cat. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Obi.

This overgrooming behavior is often due to stress and/or allergies. You can try using Feliway a pheromone diffuser which often relaxes cats. I've also had success with the anti anxiety supplement Solliquin. Solliquin is a soft chew and most cats like it. If giving oral medication is making Jasper stressed out then I would go back to giving the steroid injection for a while. You can also have the medication compounded into a tuna flavored liquid you can mix in the food then you wouldn't have pill Jasper. This is a difficult problem and you've done well controlling it. I also often try a long acting antibiotic injection as this will stop any infection in the skin and that may reduce the chewing and biting. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Jasper.

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.