# help please my cats frantically licking himself



## serenechristine (Aug 9, 2006)

and its been about a month now...Bubbles is an indoor tabby with a very gentle temerment and about a month ago he started this....we thought it was the carpet so I removed it the licking continued & got worse...then we took him to the vet..he was given the first of three advantage treatments and was put on dexasone and was getting one of those a day up until yesterday...I have a hudge weed garden rite outside my windows that I have no power over and I thought that it could be seasonal allergies like ragweed so I closed alll my windows and he seemed to get better..the got worse again...just when he seems to start to get better he has another episode. yesterday I asked my vet to try an antihistamine for him....she said ok then gave me an antidepressant instead and now hes worse....she did say that i can open my windows again..so i did and now hes worse than ever...now hes running and hiding when I try to get near him...wetting him with a face cloth used to give him some releif but not any more...I'd appreciate any feedback advice or even just to talk to someone who can relate would be nice as I am loosing sleep over this... not to mention my mind....
sincerly not so serene Christine


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## john5000 (Aug 9, 2006)

Hi Christine, I just posted with my own cat problems, and I'm no cat expert... but here are some things you might look into:

- First thing to look at is diet. have you made any changes recently? or could the food you've been giving him have changed it's formulation? there's probably a way to have your cat tested for allergies to food ingredients (and backyard allergens), you could ask your vet about this.

- Why is he licking so much? Is he licking all over, or just in one place? Can you see any irritation in his skin that may be signs of allergy (as opposed to irritation from excessive licking)?

- Have you used any chemical irritants in your house recently that could irritate the skin, such as paiting the walls, or even a bug repellant? Have you bathed him in anything... even the the chlorine (and other poisons) in tap water could cause irritation.

- Did you actually find fleas, or is the advantage just a precaution?

- If he's licking in the same place over and over, maybe there's a tick there... or it could be a neurological condition (pets can have OCD just like people) - living inside all the time might be stressful for a cat.

- Fish oil, or some scraps of oily fish could be helpful. Fish oil is a very strong anti-inflammatory, which may help relieve any itching. Fish oil is also known to help with depression, anxiety, ADD, OCD, etc in humans, so will likely do the same for cats. You could try adding some fish oil to his food.

- Lastly, does he have any way to entertain himself, to distract him from licking? Toys, and bird watching come to mind, and also attention from his owner.

-john


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## serenechristine (Aug 9, 2006)

Thanks John for taking the time to write....sorry that you are having problems with Kitty as well
to ans your questions....
no fleas as of yet so yet the advantage is pecautionary...the food as well I have just changed it....partcially...the hard stuff...and I have tried some hypo allergetic canned food as well....that is our last resort....we have tried everything...its very hard to stop giving the things they love...
As of yesterday the vets got him on an antidepressant...so far he's got a half a pill twice since yesterday and these suckers are horrid...the first one I gave him got stuck under his tongue or something and he started frothing at the mouth (soduim in it) its hard enuff to give a cat a pill as is....
he doesn't go out but through the screen door of my balcony he sees squirrels & birds...pigeons too...He likes that...I feed them more for him than for them...I thought maybe he got a flea like that...or even from me walking in & outside as I feed the birds with a birdfeeder...i thought maybe he got a bug from there...but it's been about a month now since he started this and still no bugs...he sleeps in my bed near my head you'd think I would've beeen bit by now...
then when he had good days in between there he was eating his reg food and getting treats n stuff and he was fine so its really hard to tell...it just seems to be getting worse...not even his fav treat will distract him from licking and in the meantime I am loosing it...I am on disability so i am able to be with him 24/7 but it has become a freakin full time job to try to keep him, entertained by playing with him all the time..he has catnip filledmice all over the place and balls galore hes got 3 scatching posts 3 beds all near a window) or he'll lick frantically...& I am not well myself...
he has a 2 oclock appointment today..that is if the vet doesn't call me first....don't know what the vets gonna do?...we were thinking of getting him a little sister or girlfriend but if this persists then I couldn't handle two cats one being sick...he does have the herpies virus...had it as a kitten but the vet says it has nothing to do with this...
do u really think that the chlorine in the tap water could irritate him? Maybe wetting him is making it worse???
he was lickinghis abdomen at first now its his front & hind legs base of his tail and his chest or abdomen...
no cleaning stuff either but the other vet said that ragweed season just staretd about a month ago rite around when he stareted this ....could it be a coinky dink? Or is it the filled in pool outside my windows that has become a weedgarden? I don't know wish I did tho...coz 4:30 is really too earlt to be getting up every day...otherwise he'll wake the whole building meowing....
I am exhausted.......and have honestly been thinking of you know what...to releive us all of this horribly stressfull situation....BUT I don't want to ...he is a lovely cat...
and 1 more thing my appartment is quite large so I really don't think its neurological (in his head) I really think that hes having a reaction to something I just don't know what yet...hopefully I will know more today after seeing the vet tho...


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## serenechristine (Aug 9, 2006)

*ps*

thanks so much for suggesting fish iols for him I'll try some of that for sure....can I get it at the health food store or do I get it at the vet?


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## john5000 (Aug 9, 2006)

Christine,

I buy fish oil for myself at vitacost.com I get the Carlson's brand.

You might find this brand at the health food store but I'm not sure.

Vet probably doesnt carry fish oil... they would rather sell drugs.

Wherever you purchase, make sure to keep it refridgerated and cap on tight, as fish oil can go rancid quickly. If purchasing from a local store, you might want to check with a floorperson to see how fresh it is, and check the exp. date for sure.

Some humans are sensitive to chlorine, even in small doses, so its possible your cat is also. Bathing, even with just water, can remove skin oils that prevent the skin from getting dehydrated. If the oils are washed away the skin evaporates moisture more easily, which can result in dry and itchy skin. I'm not sure if a wet washcloth will do this though.

You could also look into switching him to a raw diet, either home made or store-bought. I'm just learning how a dry/cooked food diet can cause all kinds of problems for cats. I personally eat a raw food diet, but have been to lazy to provide one for my cat... now I'm wishing I had.

Best of luck,
-john


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## Sky Eyes Woman (Feb 26, 2006)

I went through something very much like this with my cat Dude.
We tried antihistamines and a steroid pill, to no avail. Then my vet gave him a steroid shot a few months ago. His hair grew back and he quit chewing himself up. Now I'm watching him to see if he starts again, I want to keep the steroid use to an absolute minimum since it can make a cat diabetic and cause liver damage if he stays on it for too long. If nothing else works for your cat ask your vet if a steroid might help him. Some cats need it on a regular basis and some do not but it can bring relief.


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## serenechristine (Aug 9, 2006)

*Back from the vet*

ok so now I know a lot more..what Bubbles has is an allergy to something that we haven't figured out what to yet, by the elimination process...unfortunately until then we have a very uncomfortable kitty cat who has "Feline Hyperesthesia syndrome", or variously called "rolling skin disease, neuritis, twitchy cat disease and a typical neurodermititis" ...altho he hasn't gotten to the point of self-mutilation...yet. Tomorrow my boyfriend will help me bring him for another physical examination...to rule out any physical pain in his spine.. this constant frantic licking could also be a symtom of pain (altho hes very playful at times). he will not let me pill him anymore either dammit! The pred is no problem I just put it in his food but the half an elavil (I thought i gave him it this morning and found it on the floor this aft) is really tricky since our bad experience yesterday.(the pill got stuck under his toungue and he started frothing at the mouth froom the sodium in it) ..and I even bought some vaseline to put on the pill first to help make it easier for him to swallow....but now hes under the bed licking like a madman poor thing and won't let me near him...I provoked an episode trying to pill him....I did feed him the pred in his food and he ate it all up so that should help him soon....man i hope we figure this out soon....boyfriend will have to pill him the elavil morning and nite..
thanks for all your great advice people...unfortunately as the vet said, this is going to be a very frustrating time until we find out whats wrong...so we need to control it in the meantime, which is turning out to be a full time freakin job....
I asked the vet about adding fish oil to his diet and she said no for 2 reasons one being that we are trying a food allergy test and he could be allergic to fish. regarding the tap water she doesn't think it could harm him..
She also gave me some more steroids to help with the itching...he's never been so bad..running and stopping and licking frantically....enuff to make...everyone nuts here...especially moi...I can't seem to calm him down...

I'd better go and see what hes up to....


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

On the pilling...they make something called a pill shooter...I got mine at Petsmart. It's like a big syringe that the pill fits into, you pry open the mouth, get the end of the syringe into the back of the cat's mouth and depress the plunger....works wonderfully.

Another possiblility is to have a compounding pharmacy put it in a capsule instead of the nasty tasting tablet. But I'd still use a pill shooter. 

Good luck, poor kitty has got to be really uncomfortable.


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## gizmocat (May 22, 2006)

I have a cat who was scratching her ears bloody.

She has been put on a veterinary diet of 'rabbit only'. Gizmo loves this, and while she's still scratching a bit (see "Scratching Hole in Her Head" entry) the itching is WAY down, and she's no longer bloated from the ill-chosen food.

We tried steroids and the poor cat had violent diarrhea and got sicker than before. I think that a simple, basic diet may clear up most of your pet's problems. Steroids are not designed for longterm use and can cause kidney damage and other problems; and the combination of meds might also be problematic.

Gizmo only stopped wheezing asthmatically when I got an air filter in a room that we both hang out in that is obviously full of mold and dust. She hasn't had an attack since I got it, so it was definitely worth the expense. I think an air purifier is cheaper than all the vet bills, too.


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## serenechristine (Aug 9, 2006)

Doodlebug & Gizmocat thank you ...I have a pill shooter and yes it works great on bigger pills poor Bubbles is prescribed a half a pill twice a day and this pill (whats left of a halffer) is so small that it falls out of the shooter I think that the capsule idea will be our best bet that is if he doesn't end up on that seizure medicine...
As for the food he is in the process of being tested for food allergies, I have him on the Medicals Gastro food...so far he's eating it.
Thanks to all for your great tips and advice...Bubbles is going in to see the vet this AM. I didn't bring him yesterday as he finally fell asleep.....and was very tired from having an episode (or seizure) pretty much all day yesterday. Not much of a choice rite now...have to give him the steroids or he won't stop licking...will keep yous posted.


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## serenechristine (Aug 9, 2006)

*Back from the vet*

nothings new really cept maybe Bubbles got some releif and was ok rite up to around 3pm today and he started up again....so frustrating....
hes still on the same dosage of pills...but nothings new other than that ....I am so discouraged with this thing...and my poor little Buddy....
Please pray for Bubs...he is only 14 months old, still a baby in my eyes and up until now he has been a wonderfulplayful and gentle little tabby cat..and at this point theres no lite at the end of the tunnel here...not as of yet anyways


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## Sky Eyes Woman (Feb 26, 2006)

Have you tried Pill Pockets?
They're made especially for enticing a dog or cat into eating a pill. My cats love them. Give them a try and see if it will make it easier to get his medication in him.


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## BTP (Jul 13, 2006)

".. uncomfortable kitty cat who has "Feline Hyperesthesia syndrome", or variously called "rolling skin disease, neuritis, twitchy cat disease and a typical neurodermititis" ..

From what I read there, I would try stopping the flea medication right now, a
gentle bath, and see how he's doing a day or so after the bath.
Just a suggestion.

Is the licking his biggest health issue? What exactly, if anything, did the blood tests say?


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