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Old October 6th 06, 07:58 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
cybercat
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Posts: 4,212
Default My cat has "bald-belly syndrome"


"Edna Pearl" wrote[...]

I would be glad to hear from anybody who has been through this with a cat.
It's just breaking my heart.



Edna,

When I got my little 7-lb tabby, her belly was bald--just her "bikini" area.
I stupidly thought, "oh, that must be from her spay." And when it never
"grew back" I thought it sort of odd, but did not imagine she was licking
the fur off.

Then our other cat began coming into what Gracie thinks of as her very
own "territory" to sleep and hang out. Suddenly Gracie's left side was
going bald! And she was vomiting hairballs from the fur she ingested.

I did take her to the vet, and thought, as you thought, that it was an
allergy. (She has EGC and asthma.) The vet found no skin condition.
I read here and saw the same sort of info you saw, that it might be
psychological. As soon as I stopped our other cat from coming
up into Gracie's safe zone, not only did the hair on her side grow
back but Gracie now has this gorgeous, creamy, spotted fur on
her belly!

Your cat needs soothing and reassuring. There is nothing you can
do about the sources of stress in your life (I mean the specific ones
you mentioned, which are just a hard part of everyone's life at one
time or another) but if you can somehow comfort your kitty, keep
her from feeling the tension, this would help.

I would NOT give her valium or anything else until you try to alleviate
stress in her life. Be sure one of your other cats is not bothering her,
hanging out in her area or ambushing her at the litter box, spending
too much time with you, etc. Good luck. The happier you can make
your kitty, and the more secure, the more fur she will grow back!