after all, cat self-grooming is an important behavior that helps cats remove loose hair, dirt, and parasites from their coat. if your cat is licking too much, they can lose fur in strips along their back, belly, or inner legs. your cat may also have an unusually high number of hairballs. to help manage your cat’s overgrooming habits, you need to understand what’s causing the excessive licking in the first place. your cat’s fur-loss pattern may even hint at the source of the problem: overgrooming can also indicate that your cat is experiencing pain or discomfort, particularly if she is repeatedly licking one area of her body. for example, disc disease can cause back pain so that your cat overgrooms a certain spot on their back, while a urinary tract infection or anal sac impaction may encourage excessive grooming of the genitals or perianal area. compulsive grooming, known as psychogenic alopecia, is usually triggered by a change in the cat’s daily routine or environment, such as moving to a new house or the arrival of a new family member or pet. this cause of overgrooming is especially common in indoor cats that are alone for a large portion of the day.
this condition can be seen in any breed but is most common in siamese, abyssinian, burmese, and himalayan cats, due to their sensitive and attention-demanding dispositions. your veterinarian can diagnose the root cause and provide medical treatment or suggestions for deterring the habit if it’s behavioral. cats love routine, so if the hair loss is stress-related, try to create a comfortable environment and a predictable schedule. it’s best to incorporate changes gradually, such as the introduction of a new pet or changes in your living situation, to limit the amount of stress for your cat. this will help your cat build confidence and distract her from obsessively grooming. you will need a vet’s prescription for medications, and calming supplements are available over the counter in the form of treats. if you see your cat licking excessively, don’t punish her or try to interfere. after you’ve sought help from your vet, it may take a month or so for an overgrooming behavior to resolve, and even longer for your cat’s fur to grow back.
but if your cat doesn’t have a medical reason to groom themselves, like a wound, that’s called psychogenic alopecia. by treating the cause of the stress and adding stress-relieving activities and pheromones to the the cat’s day, you can help your cat stop overgrooming. this can result in hair loss and skin sores. this may be because the kitty feels more comfortable when its person is in sight and doesn’t feel the urge to self-calm via licking. when the owner isn’t present, the cat may begin to feel uncomfortable and partake in overgrooming. for example, if something is causing your cat to be itchy, it may overgroom in an attempt to relieve the itch. cats can have allergies to food, fleas, or other elements of their environment.
if you think your cat might have an allergy, consider making an appointment with a specialized veterinary dermatologist, who can test your kitty to determine if this is the cause. you’ll need a veterinarian to rule out any medical conditions and confirm the diagnosis of psychogenic alopecia. in the meantime, try to figure out the reason your cat is feeling anxious. skin biopsies, lab work, and a thorough physical exam can all be helpful to your vet in making the right diagnosis. in most cases without a medical diagnosis, excessive licking behaviors require anti-anxiety drug therapy prescribed by a vet to break the licking cycle. typically the cat does not have to be on these medications its entire life, just for a period of time to help the animal deal with stress. if your cat has a tendency to overgroom, this may recur at any time and could be an indicator that your cat is feeling stressed again. from feline idiopathic ulcerative dermatitis to feline behavioral ulcerative dermatitis: grooming repetitive behaviors indicators of poor welfare in cats.
compulsive grooming, known as psychogenic alopecia, is usually triggered by a change in the cat’s daily routine or environment, such as moving overgrooming is when a cat spends an abnormally large amount of time obsessively grooming itself. this can result in hair loss and skin sores. the cause for over-grooming may be behavioral or medical. behavioral over-grooming, otherwise known as “psychogenic alopecia,” is a form of stress-relief for, cat over grooming and losing weight, cat over grooming belly and legs, how to stop a cat from licking its fur off, why is my cat over grooming.
what causes excessive cat grooming? the two main causes for overgrooming are behavioural, when the cat starts licking excessively as a form of stress-relief (also known as psychogenic alopecia), and medical, when skin allergies or skin parasites are the main culprit. licking comes naturally to cats, but sometimes this normal grooming urge crosses the line into obsessive behavior. if your cat’s licking seems excessive in cats are famous for being fastidious groomers. in a normal day, they can spend up to 30% of their waking hours tending to their fur. however, if your cat is cats frequently use behaviour such as grooming, to make themselves feel better during stressful situations or when they are anxious. this can, cat licking stomach bald treatment, cat licking stomach bald treatment, over grooming cat homeopathic remedy, female cat licking itself a lot, cat over grooming and vomiting.
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