Cat Pulling at Fur; Bare Spots

Jan 11, 2010: Hello, question for folks; any input on what this issue could be? My daughter and her BF moved to an Apt, and they brought his 4yr female cat. Prior, the cat lived with the BF parents, while he was in college. Now, "Enzo" seems to be licking & pulling at her fur; my daughter reports tufts aroudn the apt and some bare spots starting.
They just took her to the Vet, and they have changed food (from MeowMix to something different), and even though she did not have fleas, they gave her "Advantage" flea topical medicine.
Any ideas what may cause her to do this, & 'solutions' (beside, "Get Her a Friend"...) Thanks...

"Nel" wrote in message
...

Jan 11, 2010: Hello, question for folks; any input on what this issue
could be? My daughter and her BF moved to an Apt, and they brought his
4yr female cat. Prior, the cat lived with the BF parents, while he was
in college. Now, "Enzo" seems to be licking & pulling at her fur; my
daughter reports tufts aroudn the apt and some bare spots starting.
They just took her to the Vet, and they have changed food (from MeowMix
to something different), and even though she did not have fleas, they
gave her "Advantage" flea topical medicine.
Any ideas what may cause her to do this, & 'solutions' (beside, "Get
Her a Friend"...) Thanks...


Nel, my cat does this when she is anxious. Just moving from one house to
another might do it, that is a big change for a cat. They need to give her
all the love and attention and routine they can. Vets are not usually good
at treating this anxiety-related stuff. What works for me is to figure out
what is making her anxious and try to fix it. Last time, our other cat was
coming into what Gracie saw as "her spot" every day, wanting to hang out
with me. I began visiting the other cat in another part of the house, and lo
and behold all the fur on Gracie's side grew back. Some stability might do
this for your daughter's cat. Good luck, and tell the kids to have patience
and be persistant, and not to see about medication until they try this.
People do put cats on prozac-like drugs, but I would only do this as a last
resort.

"Allan Smith" wrote in message
...
Nel,

99% of the time, Psychogenic Alopecia (self-barbering) is due to fleas.
The new quarters probably have a flea infestation (it may be that the
former tennants moved away from them). For some cats, it only takes one
single flea. Wait the flea medicine to work. Advantage is an excellent
choice.

Does your daughter have itchy lesions resembling mosquito bites,
especially on the legs or lower torso?

It is highly unlikely that a remakably-sudden food allergy is the cause,
and it is also highly unlikely that stress is a factor. That is not the
way cats react to stress.


Total horse ****. My cats are all indoors and have never had fleas. Get your
**** straight before you comment on things you know too little about.

"Allan Smith" wrote in message
...
Nel,

99% of the time, Psychogenic Alopecia (self-barbering) is due to fleas.
The new quarters probably have a flea infestation (it may be that the
former tennants moved away from them). For some cats, it only takes one
single flea. Wait the flea medicine to work. Advantage is an excellent
choice.

Does your daughter have itchy lesions resembling mosquito bites,
especially on the legs or lower torso?

It is highly unlikely that a remakably-sudden food allergy is the cause,
and it is also highly unlikely that stress is a factor. That is not the
way cats react to stress.


Did you read this part of Nel's post?

"and even though she did not have fleas, they gave her "Advantage" flea
topical medicine."

She needs help understanding why her cat is grooming compulsively even
though the cat DOES NOT HAVE FLEAS.

A little work on reading comprehension, maybe.

cybercat,

Get your **** straight before you comment on things you know too little
about.

Apartments are not houses. The Vet treated the problem appropriately. If you
don't like that, go after the Vet. Indoor cats certainly do get fleas,
especially if they are already there, which is typical of self-barbering on
entry of new quarters. And, you can bring them in on your clothes if you
garden or work in the yard in the warmer climates.

Why don't your research Psychogenic Alopecia before attacking the messenger?
You might start here on the list of priorities to rule-out in differential
doagnosis. Allergies are the last on the list. I noted the Vet did not
prescribe allergy treatments in the form of oral steroids - he simply took
action to rule out the first three differentials first.

http://www.petplace.com/cats/psychog...ats/page1.aspx

Yours is called and "ad hominem" attack btw. A.k.a., shoot the messenger if
you don't like the message or if it is different from yours. Usually caused
by resentment of new information or knowledge. Otherwise known as a
"self-inflicted learning disability".

Get over your ego. Learn new things.

Allan

--
One asks, many answer, all learn -- Plato, on the 'Forum
---
True civility is when every one gives to every other one every right
that they claim for themselves.

"cybercat" wrote in message
...

"Allan Smith" wrote in message
...
Nel,

99% of the time, Psychogenic Alopecia (self-barbering) is due to fleas.
The new quarters probably have a flea infestation (it may be that the

"Allan Smith" wrote in message
...
cybercat,

Get your **** straight before you comment on things you know too little
about.

Apartments are not houses. The Vet treated the problem appropriately. If
you don't like that, go after the Vet. Indoor cats certainly do get fleas,
especially if they are already there, which is typical of self-barbering
on entry of new quarters. And, you can bring them in on your clothes if
you garden or work in the yard in the warmer climates.

Why don't your research Psychogenic Alopecia before attacking the
messenger? You might start here on the list of priorities to rule-out in
differential doagnosis. Allergies are the last on the list. I noted the
Vet did not prescribe allergy treatments in the form of oral steroids - he
simply took action to rule out the first three differentials first.

http://www.petplace.com/cats/psychog...ats/page1.aspx

Yours is called and "ad hominem" attack btw. A.k.a., shoot the messenger
if you don't like the message or if it is different from yours. Usually
caused by resentment of new information or knowledge. Otherwise known as a
"self-inflicted learning disability".

Get over your ego. Learn new things.


You're an idiot. Now *that* is an ad hominem attack. You stated that stress
is not a likely cause of the excessive grooming that causes fur loss. This
is horse ****. You just got here, but we've been discussing topics like
this--and this particular topic--for years.

About three years ago I spent a week in the hospital with Sepsis.
During that time Amber developed a bare spot on one side - probably due
to the stress of my not being there. The vet gave her a prednisone shot
and the fur grew back.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

cyber,

You're an idiot. Now *that* is an ad hominem attack.

No, it is not. You left out the message.

It is an attempt at deflection; a strawman.

we've been discussing topics like this--and this particular topic--for
years.

Where is "we"?

Or is that really just "you"?

Allan

--
One asks, many answer, all learn -- Plato, on the 'Forum
---
True civility is when every one gives to every other one every right
that they claim for themselves.

"cybercat" wrote in message
...

"Allan Smith" wrote in message
...
cybercat,

Get your **** straight before you comment on things you know too little
about.

Kelly,

I've already received it. Nice company to do business with.

That's good to hear. I was impressed with their product lines and pleasantly
surprised at their promptness, and it is nice to hear it worked out well for
you. Thanks for the feedback.

My girls and myself thank you again and again and again.............

You, and they, are most welcome. There is an old saying, "The difference
between dogs and cats is that dogs have masters, and cats have staff".

Happy cats make for happy staff. :-)

Allan

--
One asks, many answer, all learn -- Plato, on the 'Forum
---
True civility is when every one gives to every other one every right
that they claim for themselves.

"Kelly Greene" wrote in message
...

"Allan Smith" wrote in message
...

http://www.vidalspets.com/epages/vid...ocate%20Cat%22

"---MIKE---" wrote in message
...
About three years ago I spent a week in the hospital with Sepsis.
During that time Amber developed a bare spot on one side - probably due
to the stress of my not being there. The vet gave her a prednisone shot
and the fur grew back.

And Amber usually has no allergies, right? Gracie does, but when she is
stressed the grooming increases to the point that she loses hair and breaks
the skin. Cats are like people, different personalities and different
thresholds for stress, pain, etc.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')