How do I stop my cat from pulling out fur and licking himself bald?

Poor Ollie sounds itchy! This itching can be caused by fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If he isn't up to date on his flea treatment, I can give you one for him. First, I would give him Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash his bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. If he is up to date on his flea treatment, I recommend taking him into the vet for an exam today or tomorrow. The vet can do blood tests, skin scrapings, and use a Wood's lamp to diagnose allergies, mites, and ringworm. Once the cause of the itching is found, the vet can prescribe the appropriate treatment. Best of luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like Domino is very itchy there and he licks when you scratch him there because you are helping him. That area is typical for flea bites and pets that are allergic to fleas will react and lick off fur. Even if you can’t see a live flea, it doesn’t mean they aren’t there. I would take Domino to the vet on Tuesday for an exam and treatment for the allergic reaction. They can prescribe a flea prevention that works as products over the counter don’t. Good luck and kisses to Domino!

The first step to managing Oden's overgrooming and skin irritation involves determining why this is occurring in the first place. Some cats overgroom due to anxiety or stress, while others pull out their hair while itching due to fleas, allergies or skin infections. Until you can get to the vet, I recommend putting an e-collar (cone) on Oden to prevent him from licking or chewing at his hind end further, as this can only make matters worse. Also be sure that you are using a good quality flea prevention (Advantage is a great option that is available over the counter) on Oden regularly, as some cats are highly allergic to even one or two flea bites. As soon as you are financially able to do so, I recommend taking Oden to the vet. He may need diagnostic testing of his skin, oral antibiotics or oral steroids to manage this condition. Many shelters also offer discounted veterinary services, if needed.

Midnight could have allergies, fleas, or a bacterial skin infection. Inspect her for any fleas and then treat with a medication, like Revolution, Bravecto, or Frontline. If she has allergies or a skin infection then she would need to be treated by a vet with an antihistamine, corticosteroid, and/or an antibiotic. Some cats also pull out hair from stress so you could also try a Feliway diffuser/spray and talk to your vet about an anti-anxiety medication to help.

Poor Iris! I'm sorry to hear that she's having this problem. Excessive itching and licking like this with sores and bleeding can be caused by a number of different skin conditions. Iris may have allergies, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). It's also possible that she has fleas, as flea baths are not generally very effective in my experience. Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so it's important to get a diagnosis first. I would definitely recommend taking her to the vet in the morning for an exam - he/she can do some simple skin tests to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate medication to treat it. In the meantime, you can place an e-collar (plastic cone) on Iris if needed to prevent her from continuing to lick herself and make the sores worse.

Hi and thanks for using PetCoach! Sorry to hear about Oreo. Looks like he is definitely over grooming this area. There are many causes including something that caused an itch sensation (external parasite bite from fleas, ticks, mites, etc), bacterial infection, allergies, stress or psychogenic cause, or something called Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex. I would advise taking Oreo to your veterinarian. Once pets start licking/scratching a certain spot, the surface of the skin gets compromised and bacteria living on the surface of the skin can cause a skin infection. This just increases and encourages the itch cycle to continue until it is treated. Your vet can get a history, perform a physical examination, and then advise a diagnostic/treatment plan. Oreo may just need some good flea/tick control, some antibiotics, some anti-inflammatory medicine (steroid), and an Elizabethan Collar to prevent licking until the area heals. Also, if stress is involved, that can be addressed also. Good luck with Oreo. Here is a link to learn about Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex if that's what is going on. http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/Health_Information/eosinophilic.cfm

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.