My Pet World: Choosing a kennel after your dog is injured at one of them
Dear Cathy,
My cat has a problem with excessive grooming. She will lick and scratch and bite herself all day and most of the night and end up with scabs on her back, especially by her tail, where her back meets her tail. I have given her prednisone shots once in a while, but the relief is short term. What can I do for her? — Eileen, Redwood City, California
Dear Eileen,
If it’s nonstop as you say, then she is definitely suffering. Excessive grooming may result from food or skin allergies, localized pain, fleas, or even anxiety. (When it’s anxiety, it’s called psychogenic alopecia.) You need to isolate the cause so she can receive the appropriate treatment.
Take her to her veterinarian for a health exam. If it’s food allergies, your vet will recommend switching her to a limited ingredient diet. If it’s fleas, your vet will recommend putting her on a flea preventive. If it’s anxiety, your veterinarian may prescribe anti-anxiety medication. In addition, you can introduce some feline pheromones into the home via a collar, spray, or plug-in, increase her daily playtime, and provide regular grooming sessions, as all these things can have a calming effect on an anxious cat.
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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)
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