Very Serious Cat Problem.......Could Use Advice ASAP UPDATE

[mtnhomechick]

My cat Julie is 13 yr. old and we've had her since she was a kitten. Picked her up at the local humane society and she's been a part of our family ever since.

Now I don't know what's happened but for the last few months she keeps licking herself constantly........I mean day and night. Then she throws up constantly because she has a belly full of hair I suppose.

I've put Frontline on her in case it was fleas but have never seen a flea on her.....she's an indoor cat.

Anyway, the constant licking has me not breathing well and my dh has a rash. We can't keep her out of our bed and bedroom. I know it sounds easy but she keeps us awake scratching at the door and protesting all night if we try.

For the last two days we were going to have her put down but each day we put it off one more day because of course we dearly love her.

She just seems very neurotic these days and I can't break this licking cycle and it's emitting allergens in the air that are making me hugely sick.

I thought of treating her for dry skin but she would definately lick the lotion off.

What can I do?

Thanks,

Mary

 

[helmstead]

I had a Himalayan (sp?) older queen that went senile in her later years and started doing this too. They put her on kitty prozac and it went right away. It was a neurosis.

 

[Wifezilla]

Allergies due to her diet. This sounds JUST like my friend's cat. She licked herself so much her back legs and belly were bare.

First thing you need to do is stopping feeding her foods that contain CORN, WHEAT or SOY.

Look for foods that are low in carbohydrates and high in protein.

Some good brands include:

Innova EVO
Blue Buffalo Wilderness
Taste of the Wild
BG (Before Grains)
CORE Wellness

You can also feed wet foods you find at Walmart as long as you READ THE LABELS CAREFULLY. The special Kitty wet (4 cans for $1.19) only has 2 flavors without grains. They are Turkey & Giblet or Salmon. There are a couple flavors of Fancy Feast that are also free from fillers.

Here is a great website
http://www.felinediabetes.com/glutenfree.htm

Some cats who eat a lot of corn/wheat/soy get allergies. Others get fat. Some even develop diabetes. CATS ARE NOT MEANT TO EAT GRAINS.

 

[greenapple]

Have you tried bathing her? It might help with your allergies and her skin. Either get some baby shampoo or go to a pet store and get pet shampoo and give her a bath. You can add some vinegar to the rinse water to make sure you get all the soap out of the fur.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

I had a cat that did that so much she licked sores into her skin. Vet prescribed kitty prozac (as in Helmstead's case) and she stopped doing it.

 

[mrsengeseth]

Talk to your vet. I have a few thoughts, just from owning several cats during the length of my life. But I am not a vet, so take what I say with a grain of salt and definitely go to your vet. First, have you changed anything...food, cleaning supplies...especially the floor cleaning stuff around the house? When you pull her fur back to expose the skin, what do you see? is her skin dry and flaky? Does it seem dry or healthy? In the winters our homes are generally pretty dry what with heaters and all. Do you have a humidifier? Can you shampoo her with a medicated (for dry skin) kitty shampoo and kitty conditioner? When was her last check up? 13 is a pretty geriactric cage for a cat. Age requires different nutritional needs. Talk to her ver about an age appropriate food. What houseplans do you have that she could be chewing on?Other things maybe that she's getting into? It could very well be a neurosis as well. Or it could be one of those "leave it alone and it'll get better things.. if so the vet ay suggest an Elizabethan collar (like a lampshade.). I'd at least call a vets office and see what they think in general.

 

[mtnhomechick]

I have her on Purina One Urinary Tract per the vet because of her ( $2,000.00 ) Bladder Stone about 10 yr. ago. She has to eat that........it use to be prescription food but she's been on this for at least 5 years and won't eat anything else. She has never eaten wet food. Finicky.

Her whole tummy is bare and now there's hairless patches all over her hind legs.

Edited to add that she has actuall sores on her tummy.

 

[AHappychick]

yes I have a cat that does that her whole belly is bare. I switched over to the medicated ZD anti allergy food and that helped a bit, and my vet used to give her steroid shoots to make her less itchy but that never worked.

She basically has OCD I think. Try the kitty anti-depresents maybe that will help, or maybe she has gone a bit senile?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Could she possibly have food allergies? Have you switched her food, or litter, etc?

 

[mtnhomechick]

Quote:
I gave her a bath about a month ago and it didn't seem to make much difference. I didn't think I should give her anymore for awhile in case it's dry skin.