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Author Topic:   Cat pulling out fur
catwoman
Member

Posts: 43
From:Brunswick, MO USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 09-24-2003 05:31 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for catwoman     Edit/Delete Message
We used to live in northern California. I have 9 cats. They all got along fine. We since moved to Missouri. We had our cats transported in a 30 foot air conditioned trailer. Everyone survived the experience fine except one cat. He is an abbysinian. When we got him out of the carrier, he didn't look like he was going to make it. We took him to the vet and he put him on IV's to bring up his temperature. The vet only gave him a 10 percent chance of survival. But! He did survive. Over night his temperature came back to normal and he was able to come home. He started eating and drinking and using his box.

But since the trip to the vet, he has started ripping his fur out. Big chunks are gone along his side and his legs and feet. He has never done this before and I have him isolated from the other cats because of his condition. When I'm around him, he seems perfectly fine, typical abby behavior, rubbing against my legs, wanting to be held, even licking my face, just like a dog would.

We are taking him back to the vet but was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience. Is it stress from the move? He has the whole upstairs to himself and it's really nice. But it is different than his normal routine back in California.

Any suggestions?

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Greypaw
Member

Posts: 83
From:New Zealand
Registered: May 2003

posted 09-24-2003 06:22 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Greypaw     Edit/Delete Message
Hi

It sounds like stress to me, and he definatly has had enough stress to bring it on. I get the feeling he is worried about being alone.

The vet might give him a drug that will decrease his anxiety, but I think he also needs to be reassured that his family are ok (the other cats).

Have you tried reintroducing some of his best buddies into his life even for supervised visits?

Another idea is to leave a radio going during the day for some company (not too loud though). I got this idea from a breeder friend who used to breed Abbys but now breeds Egyptian Maus. They both are very intelligent and social breeds who need a lot of company.

Of course, the vet might come up with another reason for his self mutliation. Mine is just a reasoned guess. Let us know what the vet says, and good luck.

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Catperson
unregistered
posted 09-30-2003 09:58 PM           Edit/Delete Message
Hi, did you figure out what was causing the cat to pull its fur out? Has the cat stopped this behavior? I have owned many cats throughout the years as well as family and friends and I do not recall coming across a cat with this problem. I am asking because I have had a cat for about 9 years now. I am in the military and went to Korea and then Afghanistan. I was gone for about a year and 1/2 half. I had someone taking care of her while I was gone. I have noticed that she has recentally started biting the fur on her sides. I got her back in July and I went on vacation (leave) and just got back. I was gone for 10 days. She now has bald spots on both sides of her back. Hurricane Isabell came through while I was gone. Besides that she seems to be eating and acting normally. She is prone to urinary infections (I hardly ever see her drinking water!) and she eats special food. She has been on a special diet for a long time now.
I have just started putting "Bitter end" on her and letting her out more. I hope that this works. I am thinking about taking her to the vet. I took her to the vet for her shots right before I went on vacation.
I have been using advantage on her so I do not think she has any bugs on her. I also do not see any marks/bumps on her. I think it is stress related.

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fleafly
Member

Posts: 996
From:sheridan, wy
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 10-01-2003 12:02 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for fleafly     Edit/Delete Message
I just talked to the vet about my cat doing the same thing. When cats lose hair on the belly and legs it is usually allergies. My cat has hair missing from her back right below her spine on both sides from the middle of her stomach back to her tail. I told the vet this and she said that is the pattern for flea allergies, so we should try her on some steroids for 5 days and see if it clears up. I told her that my cat actually rips chunks of fur out. I have seen her grab a chunk and rip at it until it comes out. My vet said when they rip it out it is a psychotic behavior. It could be stress or some other mental health problem. She said that prozac and I think amytriptolene work well for cats. We are trying the steroids if they don't help we are moving on to the prozac. Sounds like some prozac or something might help your kitty relax a bit and adjust to the new change.

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