My cat has developed the habit of obsessively licking his tummy and legs and is becoming bald in those places. I’ve already tried a cone collar, but he’s a clever devil and figured out how to pull it off within five minutes. I know there are bitter-tasting sprays you can buy at a pet store for this purpose, but I wondered if there was anything I might have in the house already that I could try first? Lemon juice? Chili powder? Cayenne pepper powder? Plain white vinegar? I want to be sure it’s non-toxic to him of course, but the limits of my knowledge of that is that he can’t eat onions or garlic.
It’s probably because your cat feels stressed. Try to find out why by asking questions about how/if your cat’s environment has changed and try to soothe him and reduce the stress.
One way to do this is by purchasing a feline pheromone spray dispenser (Feli-Way or Pet-Ease brands, both available at www.petsmart.com) and installing it in or near your cat’s favorite part of the house. If you have more than one cat, other animals, or children, your cat may be in need of privacy and quiet. Provide it with a hiding place such as a cave-style bed or tent.
You also want to make the environment more interesting and interactive for the cat. If you don’t already have a cat tree that enables it to jump and climb, consider investing in one. And start allocating a specific amount of time each day to interactive play with the cat, using any kind of toy that dangles on a string to entice him. The more physical activity a cat has in its life, the less likely it is to be preoccupied with anxiety. Build or rebuild a routine for your cat. Try to feed at the same times each day and arrange your play time on a regular schedule as well. Knowing what to expect and when is comforting to a cat and reduces tension.
Also I wouldn’t put a collar on him as that could cause him to become more stressed and scratch more. I’d consult with your vet to see if he has a skin condition which could cause him to obsessively groom himself.
But seriously, you may want to talk to your cat about his feelings and what’s bothering him or stressing him out. Maybe get him something like a catnip mouse or jingly-ball when he is feeling frustrated.
I am dead broke, so expensive purchases are out of the question. I racked up three grand in debt from my other cat’s illness in December, and I still make less than my monthly expenses. (I’ve had a Feliway diffuser on my “wish list” for years.)
I have been trying to play with him more; for a lengthy period of time he became too lazy to play (he’d chase the laser pointer for two minutes, then flop on the floor and just stare intently at it without moving), but he seems to be improving now.
Yes, I plan to take him to the vet, whenever I might actually have disposable income again, but that’s out of the question for the foreseeable future.
In any case, I’d still like to know if there are any cat-safe products I might already have handy which could act as a deterrent.
You might think about if you’ve changed any pet-related products lately, that might be causing an allergic reaction. One of my cats stated doing this last year, and it turned out, he was allergic to the litter deodorizer I had started using. He had contact dermatitis on his kitty butt, which was causing the licking.
The vet had also suggested that a new type of food might be causing it.
Whatever you do DON’T use chili, lemon juice or anything else on his body to discourage him. His constant licking is not the problem. It’s a symptom.
He needs attention. Hold him, pet him, cuddle him, … He needs to know he lives in a safe and caring environment 24/7/365. You really do need to find out what’s stressing him, and when you do, you will have to change. Not him.
Ah yes, count on the Dope to provide me with a lecture for trying to help my cat, rather than actually answering my question. I am playing with him, or did you miss that part?
1.) Flea control - fleas can act as a trigger to overgrooming that may then be continued for obsessive-compulsive reasons. It started that way for one of my cats - I got lazy with the flea medication since they’re indoor cats only and they picked up a few without me noticing for awhile.
2.) Exercise and stimulation - playing with your cat a lot can sometimes help if the problem is one of bordeom.
3.) Feliway - it might help.
4.) More traditional drugs - the tricyclic Amytripyline is sometimes used to deal with OCD behaviors. I currently have a cat I’m trying to wean off of it ( he’s down to half-dosages ) after post-amputation Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome. He’s the same one who overgroomed - the long period in an e-collar allowed his hair to grow back and the drug may have kept him from it subsequently - I dunno ( it’s not currently a problem ).It has worked so far and in my case was ~$30 for a 30 day supply of the full dosage. But I imagine you want to avoid the drugs if possible.
I think that covers most of it, but try googling cat psychogenic alopecia. Cats that get obsessive about over-grooming can be a pain in the ass to deal with. Actually here’s one link: Home - Dr. Barchas
I have a cat who used to lick and bite her stomach to the point where it would become infected. To make a very long story short, it was food allergies. As long as I keep her on the right diet, she has no problem. I feed her cat food from Whole Foods. The special hypoallergenic stuff including various prescription diets did not help.
I appreciate those who are trying to help. However, no one has bothered to answer my question.
Yes, I am reasonably sure I know why he’s being neurotic. No, I don’t particularly feel like writing several paragraphs to explain this to the internet. Yes, I am already taking other steps to address both causes and symptoms. No, not everything, because there are things that I cannot afford to do, or else, yes, of course I would!
What I am asking is if there are any cat-safe, household products that would taste bad and could act as a deterrent. That’s it. One, single, simple question. Really.
The answer, for your purposes, is no. It is inappropriate to apply a deterrent to your cat’s over grooming areas, unless or until a cause can be found. Most likely, until an underlying cause can be found and rectified, it won’t matter, your cat will continue to over groom despite how bad a taste you make for him. I understand finances are slim to none. He and you may have to wait it out. As long as he’s not developing hairball issues, or doing more than mowing (meaning just fur, and his skin is blemish-free and healthy with no redness, rash or scabs), it’s probably OK to wait a bit.
No, there isn’t. Putting something bad tasting on your cat is apt to make matters worse, not better. Cats have sensitive skin and their instinct is to clean anything off their fur.
My cat can get out of some cone collars, but there are different types out there that tie on differently. Maybe the vet can let you try out a different type free for all the $$$ you’ve spent there.
Thank you. He seems to be adjusting to the cone collar now and has left it on for about a day. His skin is fine; it just looks like the hair is breaking off really short due to the licking. I doubt it’s allergies/physiological; he obsessively licks me too, if I let him. (This is how I get woken up in the morning, sigh.)
I’m encouraged by the fact that he’s actually chasing the laser pointer again (for more than two minutes). I have no idea why he refused to move for a while.
Things that madly entertain cats for a while become boring to them eventually. Your cat may also have been a bit ‘depressed’. I’m glad you are looking at the underlying reasons for its condition, as that is likely where the answer lies.
I’m not sure he was bored with it though. He still stared at the moving dot, very intently, he just didn’t get up to chase it.
And yeah, we’re probably both depressed. I’m sure he’s sensitive to my own stress levels (and there’s not much I can do about that). We’re also both grieving, and he may have been the only one aware of how sick my other cat was for quite a while. (I’ll never know for sure, but it’s possible that the negative biopsy we got for Merlyn four years ago was wrong.)
Could you afford a newborn’s onesie? I’ve seen many good reports of people dressing their cats in one of these (you have to cut the bottom out a bit to allow for the tail and bodily functions) when their cats were over-grooming or had recent surgery. It prevents licking things they shouldn’t, and it doesn’t get in the way like the cone does.
I’ll look into that, thanks, I think they’re maybe 5 bucks or so. Although not being able to lick his tummy might make him lick his legs more, dunno. He’s been scratching around where the cone rests around his neck, and pulled it off overnight, so I don’t think that’s going to work.
