Cat scratches itself until it bleeds

We have a female cloud tabby aged about 4 years that has taken to
excessive scratching - to the point that she is digging at her own
flesh. We have always been regular with flea treatments and she is in
overall excellent health.
About six months ago she began scratching on the rear of her neck and
removed her fur, skin and some flesh. We thought it was fleas and up'ed
the bomboardment of her flea treatments. Tried a few varieties to no
avail. Vet put her on prozac and her position seemed to stabilise. It
got no worse but it got no better.
We eventually consulted an allergy vet. Betwen our regular vet, the
allergy vet and ourselves we have now had her upper body in bandages
for 3+ months. She is now off prozac and has healed really well. We've
just taken the bandage off. She's since agrivated the wound again and
is back in bandages.
Short of amputating the scratching leg we're well out of ideas. Anyone
come across this before?

Test for parasites like giardia? Any changes in the home environment?
Is Prozac the drug of choice for compulsive behavior with cats? But I
would test for parasites. Did the allergist suggest an antihistamine
like chlor-trimeton or Benadryl? Did the allergist figure out the
allergy, if any? I guess not. Did she wear a flea collar? What type of
flea treatments did you use? Did you use something like Front Line or
did you use some powder or some such stuff like that? I'm wondering if
the flea treatments or flea collar had anything to do with this.

wrote:

We have a female cloud tabby aged about 4 years that has taken to
excessive scratching - to the point that she is digging at her own
flesh. We have always been regular with flea treatments and she is in
overall excellent health.
About six months ago she began scratching on the rear of her neck and
removed her fur, skin and some flesh. We thought it was fleas and up'ed
the bomboardment of her flea treatments. Tried a few varieties to no
avail. Vet put her on prozac and her position seemed to stabilise. It
got no worse but it got no better.
We eventually consulted an allergy vet. Betwen our regular vet, the
allergy vet and ourselves we have now had her upper body in bandages
for 3+ months. She is now off prozac and has healed really well. We've
just taken the bandage off. She's since agrivated the wound again and
is back in bandages.
Short of amputating the scratching leg we're well out of ideas. Anyone
come across this before?


Is she scratching at her ear? I assume her ears have been examined for
mites or other infections?

I'd certainly suggest looking into antihistamines, Chlortrimeton is
helping my cat, though her symptoms aren't as bad nor in the same area.

wrote in message
oups.com...
We have a female cloud tabby aged about 4 years that has taken to
excessive scratching - to the point that she is digging at her own
flesh. We have always been regular with flea treatments and she is in
overall excellent health.
About six months ago she began scratching on the rear of her neck and
removed her fur, skin and some flesh. We thought it was fleas and up'ed
the bomboardment of her flea treatments. Tried a few varieties to no
avail. Vet put her on prozac and her position seemed to stabilise. It
got no worse but it got no better.
We eventually consulted an allergy vet. Betwen our regular vet, the
allergy vet and ourselves we have now had her upper body in bandages
for 3+ months. She is now off prozac and has healed really well. We've
just taken the bandage off. She's since agrivated the wound again and
is back in bandages.
Short of amputating the scratching leg we're well out of ideas. Anyone
come across this before?

Was she diagnosed with allergies? If so, did you take steps to control her'
exposure to the allergies?

Do cats get eczema? Maybe she has this?

chas

There is something else that we might be forgetting that can cause this
unusually behavior.
Have you really watched your cat I mean really watched.
Has the cat showed signs of loss of appetite?, really laying around like it
is completely drained; more than a normal cat does?, staying in one spot and
unresponsive to normal stimulants?. Does your cat stagger and weave? Did he
/ she appear to faint or otherwise be in an altered state of consciousness?
How long did this last? Is he/ she making hacking or odd sounding noises?


The reason I asked Is my Rumble was doing the same thing you described . I
took him to the vet the same course you went except no Prozac. The vet
suggest that I take him home and really observe him for 48 hours. With in
20 hours he had a seizure just a mild one but enough to stop my heart. But
unless I was really watching him I would have not noticed it. He is
epileptic. Till we got him regulated on medication he would scratch till
the bone if he could. He is stabilized and seizure free for 3 years now on
2.5 mg of Diazepam 2 times a day. He just started acting like his old self
this week.

Now this is not something to jump up and become crazy about. This is my
experience with this situation.

For us to try to help you out here We need to know

What type of flea treatment did you use? Along with that what other home
treatments did you use?
When you cat was in bandages did it still try to scratch while even on the
mediation?
When the cat scratches WHERE and WHAT is the cat scratching? What does the
wound look like? Deep,circular etc.
Here is a question about the Prozac was the cat lethargic or show side
effects while on the drug?
What exactly did the vet describe the conditions as? or was he able to
diagnose a problem?
What did the vet do at the office such as blood work and parasite testing?
What did that reveal
What did the allergist say it was? What type of treatment did he or she
recommend?
Are you following the treatment? ( I have to ask sorry )
What type of living conditions is the cat living in? this can effects cats'
health greatly
Where are you located generally? I ask this for several reason one in case
we need to recommend you to another vet two if it is allergies the area you
live in would effect and or affect the cats health