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Excessive licking

I have a male cat about 5 years old, and he's constantly licking certain areas until they are raw and then he would stop with that area and move on to another and do the same thing.  The original area would heal because he was focused on a new area.  He has an area around his front paw and shoulder that he has licked raw and it's lumpy and sometimes he'll let it get crusty and then go back to it.  But he's now started an new area and is still going back to the old one.  I'm not sure what to make of this this time because he's never done it before.  It looks like he's got some fur growing back in in thin strips, but somebody is saying that the cat has cancer, but other than some areas being a little dried out it looks normal to me.  Any suggestions or help would be appreciated.  My brother is here and he's not exactly nice to the cats, but this is the only one doing this.


This discussion is related to excessive itching to raw skin and blood.
9 Responses
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681148 tn?1437661591
I concur with everyone else here.  One way to find out if food allergies is a problem, though, is to try a grain free canned food.  There are other brands than what I've been using myself, but what I've been giving to Akira is a brand called Wellness, which is grain free.  Cats should not eat dry kibble in the first place, because they get most of their water from their food.  Remember, most cat breeds originated in desert areas of the earth.  Most of the available water they get in their native diet comes from the prey they can catch.  Remember, too, that cats are obligate carnivores.  So, they actually do not benefit from eating grains at all.  It is not necessary for cats to have grains in their diet.  Keep in mind that in the sense of grains in reference to what is considered a grain to a cat, white potatoes are considered to be a "grain".  So, you do not want a cat with food allergies to eat some hand out you've cooked for yourself that has had white potatoes in it.  

If you made something that is a meat based dish that has sweet potatoes in it and you want to give the cat a hand out of a piece of the meat in the food, that's okay.  But:  NO WHITE POTATOES.  I also learned that for cats, unlike people with chronic illnesses, pork is beneficial to them, even cats with food allergies.  So, it would be okay to buy a small piece of plain pork to cut up into bite sized treats to give to the cat on occasion.

So, to recap here:

Give grain free CANNED food

Do NOT give the cat dry food

No white potatoes

Pork is okay for cats, even those with food allergies.  Make sure it's just plain raw pork.  

Do give RAW meat as a treat for the cat

*While raw food diets are actually best, it is very difficult for most cat owners to maintain a raw food diet for their cat.  It can be difficult to get the right proportions of meat, fat and bones if making it yourself, and can be expensive to buy already made.  If you can afford to buy the pre-made frozen raw diet--and can maintain the routine for feeding the cat raw food--and if the cat will eat it--then this is the best diet for the cat.

Always give GRAIN FREE food to cats with allergies of any kind--even if it's not a food allergy, because it can actually help reduce inflammation in the cat's body, which in turn will help with environmental allergies.  Like people, cats can be allergic to dust particles in the air.

Again:  I agree about getting rid of the brother first, because it sounds like he is stressing the cat out.

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Avatar universal
two things that i can think of. your brother. or food.
if you have had the cat for 5 years and this is the first time it has become an issue you should think about what has changed recently.

my cat does the exact same thing but it was a food problem she was allergic to almost every kind of cat food. finally found one she wasnt allergic too and she is fine!
but first i would get rid of your brother and see if that is the problem. if its not go to the vet and see what they say.
good luck!

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7052683 tn?1392938795
Hi Jenny,

"SOUNDS LIKE YOUR BROTHER COULD BE THE PROBLEM"--Seriously--GET RID OF HIM BEFORE YOU GET RID OF YOUR KITTY!!!!!!!
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Avatar universal
I'm not sure why your brother wants you to get rid of a cat just because it is licking itself and causing soars to itself?  I don't know why that is impacting his life, but it sounds like the cat has anxiety.  Usually if the cat has food allergies, they will scratch around their neck, top of their head and possibly around their face.  It could also be allergies from something else, such as fleas, flea bites or dust.  This is harder to determine and may have to be discovered by a vet.  If they feel that is the reason, they can give the cat a shot that will temporarily relieve the itching for about a month.  This will give the wounds time to heal, and then you would know that the issue is allergies, but then finding out what the cat is allergic to is the hard part... but your situation sounds like the cat is stressed out.  Think about when the cat started this behavior and what changed in it's life during that time?  It sounds like if your brother is mean to the cats, it is causing this one cat more anxiety then the others.  The constant licking is a calming effect.  They do it to soothe them, because they are stressed and uncomfortable.  This cat could be depressed. Compulsive disorders often begin when there are changes in a cat’s environment. Sounds like you need Jackson Galaxy, the cat behaviorist to come to rescue your kitties by getting your brother to learn to love and respect these loyal, loving pets.  Sounds like your brother needs to build a relationship with them by giving them treats and playing with them with cat toys.  Otherwise, maybe he needs to move out!  Good luck and best wishes!
Helpful - 0
874521 tn?1424116797
well please do insist on trying all the suggestions don't let your brother bully you into getting rid of a dear kitty who is only in need of some help...
stop the tidy cat, get a litter with NO scents...and stop the dry food, use cans only...stop all scents in your home to or at least as many as you can.
read thru a previous post and the comments, copy and paste the links I suggested for more info...keep in touch:)

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Cats/My-elderly-cat-keeps-scratching-himself-until-he-bleeds/show/2041682?personal_page_id=861539
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Avatar universal
His diet is a mix of dry and wet food, and the litter I use is a mix of crystals and Tidycat which has a scent to it.  I'd appreciate any help because my brother is pushing to have him put to sleep which I don't want to do.
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Avatar universal
He's a domestic shorthair.
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874521 tn?1424116797
waht is his diet? do you feed dry food? what is his litter do you use unscented litter?
this is an allergy and I can send you more info....
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Avatar universal
What breed of cat is it?
Helpful - 0
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