This is my first thread start so I really don’t know if this the right place but anyway…
My cat is losing fur on his back legs. The problem is that being in my seventies I cannot catch him to take to the vet. I do not believe there is a flea problem and he has been wormed. I have also changed food in case of allergies. Does anyone have any thoughts?
Fleas are the most common allergen in cats. Is the reason you do not believe it is a flea problem because you are treating the cat with effective flea control on a regular basis?
yes I am.
A couple of things come to mind:
1- The flea meds you’ve been using have lost their effectiveness. It’s not uncommon. Maybe try a different one?
2 - Stress. I don’t know if anything, even a small thing, has changed in your world or your cat’s world. Cats will overgroom as a stress response, and the solution is to take away the stress source or, if that’s not possible, wait it out and provide alternate positive, comforting things. What those may be are really cat-specific, and range from more hiding places to more play time with you, or even just special food treats when the stressful thing is happening.
My elderly boy has a thyroid issue he’s now on medication. It manifested as him losing hair on his tail in addition to him aggressively grooming and plucking out bits of fur. Also the vet said his loud complaining yowls at night were also a sign as was his huge appetite but he lost weight. No longer a heavyweight he’s now a bantam weight.
It cannot be cured but managed and he’s doing a lot better except for complaining at night. Still a good appetite. But what he really wants is to go outside
A flea comb is a great way to rule out fleas as a problem.
Human head lice combs work also.
I think that stress is probably the issue. He is being bullied by a neighbours cat but there is little I can do about that.
You could keep him indoors where (I assume) the bully cannot get at him. Please consider this.
Yes, I’m with that if it is at all workable for the OP. Cats are relatively small creatures, and there are a number of things that can hurt them out there; dogs, other cats, wild animals. You also pretty much eliminate the flea problem if your cat is always indoors.
If your cat is in a monthly flea/ tick med like Revolution that’s eliminate the flea question.
^Not in all situations. If the animal is flea allergic and the environment is heavily infested with fleas, it only takes a single bite to start the animal’s reaction. Your monthly product may be 99% effective yet the cat may still be miserable. The product also has to be applied correctly, parting the fur and applying directly to skin, and the OP mentioned difficulty catching the cat.
Our dogs swim and I have found I have to apply the monthly product we use every three weeks.
To get him to the vet, can’t you just wait for him to sit on your lap then put him in a carrier?
Afraid not. He will never do that until after dark when the vet has shut up shop.
Anyway thank you all, you have given me things to think about.
You might look for a mobile vet.
People I know with cats like this secure the cat in a small cage whenever they get the chance, then keep it confined until the appointment.
Are cats usually okay with being caged/ kenneled? I know that it is a good idea to get dogs accustomed to a kennel, does the same hold true for cats?
One of our neighbors has four or five barn cats that are mostly not handleable. Every two years he borrows our two havahart traps, and sets them along with his own to trap his cats.
He hauls the traps to his veterinarian, where they are sedated, examined, vaccinated, dewormed, etc, then returned to their traps. They are released in the barn later that day when fully recovered.
It really depends on the cat’s personality and their history, and how old they are when you try to acclimate them. Linden, who has only had 1 vet trip outside of going for shots doesn’t mind the carrier. In fact, if I take the carriers out and leave the doors open a day or two before we’re going somewhere, he’ll go in and explore a bit. I have never had a problem getting him in a carrier.
The cats I inherited from my mom both loved going into the carriers because she taught them that it meant going out to the screen house, so you’d often find them already in the carriers, looking expectantly at you when they hoped for a trip outdoors.
Poe, on the other hand, has had lots of vet trips because he’s always had sinus problems and we worked with the vet for months (unsuccessfully) to clear up his frequent runny nose. He does not go willingly into the carrier. I’ve learned to kneel on the floor in front of the carrier with him in front of me and gently nudge my way forward until he reluctantly goes in: doing the typical, sit a carrier on the floor, opening up, and lower the cat in doesn’t work with an 18lb cat.