Cat Licking Belly&BackLeg fur off

[Nadia88]

I have a 10 year-old, orange, shorthair, indoor (though we could have tracked anything indoors on our shoes), female cat.

Approximately 2 months ago she started licking her back legs a lot. Over a few weeks she licked her inner back legs and lower belly completely bare. About 2 weeks ago I noticed very faint pink dots on the bare skin. They were not raised bumps. They were not there before. One week ago she has licked the pink spots so much they are much more noticable now, though still not raised even as much as acne bumps to make a comparison. This week she has licked a spot or two to rawness. She is also licking small bald areas to her front legs.

She has NO FLEAS. I do not think it is ALLERGIES as her diet/environment has not changed. I've seen her go hours and hours without licking her belly but then I'd come into my bedroom some afternoon and she's licking her belly and legs again. None of my other cats as of yet have begun to lick their fur off.

[lindapalm]

We put our cat on grain free,chicken free cat food, plus are using unscented litter.  He is also on anxiety pills (hopefully only temporary) and it seems to be working.  He no longer is pulling out his fur, or chewing.  The only problem is he has a huge sore on his back leg from chewing it raw, and for 3 months we have been trying to get it to heal.  Don't let your cat get this bad, we have tried EVERYTHING to get him to try to stop licking the sore, but are having no luck at all.  

[aroniafly]

My cat is suffering too, why vets know nothing that would help?

[lindapalm]

I took Spencer back to the vet today because of the leg bleeding.  He put the collar back on him, and told me to try and pad the edges somehow so it wouldn't cut into his fur and skin, and bandaged his leg.  He also put him on Amitriptyline because he feels it helps with preventing itching more than Prozac.  
He also said if it is food allergies it would take a lot longer to see a difference, just as CML2014 stated.  I hated to do it, but he is so chewed up on every spot he can reach, and his leg is so bad I had no choice.  It would be nice if after awhile everything healed and I could get him off the drug, the vet is calling me Friday to see how he is.

[lindapalm]

Thanks opus.  It could be the rug shampoo,  I use so many  different kinds it would be hard to tell which one.  Laundry soap is scent free.  He's always been like this, but now he is so much worse.
We also have one of our cats on Prozac for peeing, and it works great for him.  I'm glad you mentioned yours is on a liquid form, because Spencer is so hard to pill. If I used the pill pen he would work the pill back out while foaming, so I tried using my fingers,  He struggled so hard he foamed and bit down on my finger (not purposely) and now my finger is infected.  The liquid should be easier, hopefully.
Its very hard to give him his food and not have him get the other cats, but we've been doing really good considering.  

You think 2 weeks time isn't enough to judge with the new food?  If it is allergies, will the Prozac help the itching?  I have to try it, I guess, his let is so bad I have to follow him around the house cleaning blood everywhere and I'm afraid it could become infected and he could loose it.  I go back to the vet Thursday, I know he will leave it up to me he seems to not come up with any good ideas but Convenia and steroids, and that did nothing to help him last time for longer than 2-3 days

[opus88]

Oh poor kitty, and poor you too I know how frustrating this can be to solve....the new diet may take awhile yet. Never did ask you did I abt what your using for cleaning products, try just vinegar and water on floors where kitty walks as this could also be a contact allergy. Your bedding too that he lays on should be washed with as pure as possible detergent an for sure NO fabric softener
As far as the Prozac, it would be worth a try for a little while, to relieve his anxiety...which I don't think is the cause but is a symptom of the terrible itch he is feeling
I absolutely hate drugging a cat too, but must admit I too was forced to try it for one of mine, Nemo has anxiety issues and has been peeing around my house for years, man the instant cleaning believe me over a 4 year period I read and tried everything...nothing worked
15 months ago we began Prozac, he's a 10 lb cat so using the liquid oral suspension 0.75mls. At first was everyday than every second day...now there are times he can even go up to a week in between doses without peeing on something...I have pee pads all over my furniture( gotta really love these guys)
So I can say for him it works as long as he gets it regularly and I've not noticed any side effects, so for your kitty I'd say give it a try...maybe a short while would just be enough to calm him down and give the new diet and other measures a chance to work(?)
Got my fingers crossed that you will find an answer, man he's gotta be feeling pretty darn miserable

[lindapalm]

We've had Spencer on the Natural Balance green peas and Salmon  for about 2 weeks now.  We tried Blue Basics Fish and Potato, but he hated it.  We are using  unscented litter too.  Very limited choice of food that doesn't have some type or form of chicken in it, both are grain free too.
We had to put a collar on him while trying the new food, he constantly licks himself to the point of no fur, and his one back leg is raw at the joint and bleeds heavily.  The collar didn't work well, it made his neck very irritated and his leg would still bleed just from being rubbed on carpet.  The past week I have taken the collar off and heavily bandaged and taped his leg so it is covered.  

He's still chewing himself, shouldn't he have stopped by now if it is allergies?  Our vet said since shots haven't helped, and if the collar and new food doesn't, the next step would be Prozac because it might be a behavior issue. I give him Benedryl, and that seems to help a little, but I can't give him that forever. I have to take him back Thursday, and hate to start on Prozac, but can't think of anything else to try.  It is so frustrating