My cat's skin problem won't heal; vet treatment failed. Is it anxiety?

Hi thank you for using PetCoach. Excessive grooming can certainly be due to behavioral causes but it could also be due to primary allergic or skin disease. Ideally I would recommend a veterinary work up to in sure there's not a medical condition for his licking and grooming. Allergies, parasites and even some immune system disorders can cause itchiness and sores on the skin. If it does appear to be behavioral the vet can also diet you as far as possibly using anti-anxiety medications to help snoopy. When anxiety treatment you can do at home is he using Feliway pheromone products. These can help reduce stress and anxiety in cats. https://www.feliway.com/uk/Cat-behaviour/Is-your-Cat-over-grooming And there are anxiety or behavioral medications that can be used short term for potential he chronically if needed to help snoopy stop his over grooming. I hope this helps, thank you for using PetCoach.

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.

Hello! Cats commonly cope with anxiety by over-grooming themselves, usually in their belly region. I think you are exactly right that she has licked the fur off. In a fungal infection, I would expect to see redness of the skin, crusting, or discharge. The first thing I'd recommend for anxious kitties is a product called Feliway. It's a feline pheromone product that helps naturally calm cats. It can come in diffuser, spray, and collar forms. Cats also find great comfort in height. If she doesn't have many high places to perch around the house, that can be something that helps her interact more. There are also options of anxiolytic drugs, such as Prozac, that can help if you don't find success in the other options. I hope this helps! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I recommend taking Jiriya to a vet to rule out a skin infection. The areas you describe sound a lot like an allergic reaction to fleas. Sometimes you will not see fleas on a cat because they are good groomers. If there is a skin infection, he will need antibiotics. If there is a reaction he may need an anti-inflammatory. Also, if there are fleas he needs a topical prevention from a vet applied every 30 days for at least 3 months to kill the flea life cycle. Once a diagnosis is made by your veterinarian they can discuss the best treatment option for Jiriya. Good luck and kisses to Jiriya!

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.

Hi there! It appears from the picture that it's a patch of irritated skin- this can be caused from self trauma (obsessive licking), allergies, or a skin infection. Many cats cope with anxiety by over-grooming themselves, and they most commonly do it in the belly area. From your story, I'm suspicious that Jack was nervous while you were away and possibly did this to himself. For this spot to go away, he needs to stop licking it. This can be done by putting on a cone collar or a shirt- whatever you think he will tolerate best. As far as fixing the problem in the future, I'd recommend using Feliway products. It's a natural feline pheromone that helps to relieve anxiety. If that's not helpful, your vet can recommend a low dose anti-anxiety drug to help him get through stressful times, like when family members are away. If the area begins to ooze or smell bad, it is a sign of an infection. Your vet will likely take a sample to find the cause of the lesion, and then treat with antibiotics and possibly antihistamines or anti-inflammatories. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could still be allergies that are not responding to therapy as expected. Since your veterinarian was able to actually take a look at Sophia, I would believe their diagnosis. It could be that a lack of consistent response to therapy could be that the allergic component is not yet being addressed. Her staying in the litter box is likely due to discomfort which is why re-evaluation at this point is indicated. Your veterinarian could consider referral to a veterinary dermatologist for further recommendations. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!