How do I stop my cat constanly grooming/cleaning to the point he has chewed his hair off one of his

He's a ragdoll. Quite needy and has also lost weight and shedding hair quite dramatically from the mid to the back top part of his body. (Has been wormed and fleaed)

How do I stop my cat constanly grooming/cleaning to the point he has chewed his hair off one of his legs?

If your cat hasn't been seen by a vet recently, then you need to take him in for a check up. He has a variety of symptoms and they may or may not be related. The excessive grooming could be due to parasites, inhaled allergens, food intolerance or even stress. If your cat isn't feeling well, this could make him stressed.

The articles below on skin allergies and food intolerance have lots of information which you may find helpful.

http://www.celiahaddon.co.uk/pet%20probl...

http://www.celiahaddon.co.uk/pet%20probl...

The average cat spends over a third of their waking day grooming. Not only does it keep their coat in good condition, it's also very therapeutic in relieving tension. However, if a cat is feeling stressed, they will use grooming as a diversionary activity - it's far more comforting than facing up to the problem. If the vet thinks it's stress related, he might suggest fitting him with an Elizabethan collar to prevent him from grooming. A Feliway plug in might help, as they emit an aroma that cats find comforting. (You'll need to use it for at least 3 weeks to see the full benefits.) If he'll allow you to groom him, spend more time doing this, as not only will it strengthen the bond between you, but it may reduce his desire to do it. Try also diverting his attention to something else, such as toys to see if this will help break the habit. Bach Flower Remedies can be helpful in treating stress or other emotional problems in cats. The web article below explains which ones to use and how to administer them.

http://www.critterchat.net/bach.htm

Hope he will be okay.

How do I stop my cat constanly grooming/cleaning to the point he has chewed his hair off one of his legs?

I have a very old dog that did this. I would recommend taking him to the vet. I took my dog to the vet and he ended up having a yeast infection on his feet that's why he was cleaning them all the time, which in turn made it worst. I had to give him oral medication and bandage his feet to clear it up!! I hope that's not what it is but I would recommend taking him to the vet to be sure!

How do I stop my cat constanly grooming/cleaning to the point he has chewed his hair off one of his legs?

It sounds like he has some sort of rash, have you been to the vet about it? They might want to give him the e-collar to give him a chance to heal, and probably some ointment if it is a rash.

How do I stop my cat constanly grooming/cleaning to the point he has chewed his hair off one of his legs?

Oh my. Your little pumpkin actually has a fairly common, yet serious psychological problem. Cats that pull out their hair are very nervous. (It's like the human mental illness known as 'trichotillomania") Grooming and cleaning are one thing - these are perfectly normal and only cause problems when your cat is THE ONLY ONE grooming him - which means he's not being combed my his owner - and he swallows enough hair to cause a ball of hair to form in his stomach. It may be regurgitated or it can clog his intestinal tract - A HUGE VETERINARY EMERGENCY! He's probably lonely - not necessarily for another cat, but for you! PLEASE tell your vet what is happening because his leg needs antibiotic prophalactic treatment so as to avoid a staph infection. He's also losing weight. This is not a good sign - if he is on the older side (13+) I'm sorry to say that he may be readying himself for death. When cats stop taking in nutrition, they've sorta' given up. I think a lot of TLC, a trip to the vet, perhaps a change in diet [the vet will give you special high calorie food to plump him up] and LOADS OF TOYS, OPEN BAGS TO CRAWL INTO, BALLS TO ROLL AROUND, SCRATCHING POSTS COVERED WITH CATNIP, ETC. Then each week take some toys away and bring some of the older ones out - your cat will not remember the old toy and think he's got a brand new gift!! You also mentioned that he has shed his fur from the mid to the back top of his body. This sounds like a thyroid problem - probably hyperthyroidism - which also accounts for the loss of weight. Hyperthyroidism also makes kitties nervous and they wind up chewing off their hair. A vicious cycle. Please get him to a good vet SOON and I think you'll have a good outcome. I'm sure you love him - he just needs to know that. 20 minutes per day of your sole attention for playtime and combing is not too much to ask. Remember, pets are a lot like children - we don't neglect either.

Best Wishes - I hope he'll be purring soon!

Barb

How do I stop my cat constanly grooming/cleaning to the point he has chewed his hair off one of his legs?

What did you use to treat the fleas. Hair loss in cats can be flea bite dermatitis or some other allergy, ring worm, or hyperthyroidism. If the cat is young it's more likely not a thyroid condition. By the description in your question it sounds like some kind of skin allergy. I think you should take him to the vet for a checkup.

How do I stop my cat constanly grooming/cleaning to the point he has chewed his hair off one of his legs?

This behaviour is usually caused by an allergy to flea saliva, they can scratch themselves raw and chew all the fur off their hind ends because of this condition.

Try bathing your cat in a medicated, anti-flea dog/cat shampoo. Add a desert spoon of vegetable oil or a couple of enchinea drops to their food on a daily basis to improve the condition of their skin and help with hair-balls. Be dedicated about flea prevention treatment, and eradicate all fleas from your house.

Mostly, learn to live with a cat that looks scraggy during the flea season. The hair usually grows back during the winter - until the next spring, then it starts all over again...

How do I stop my cat constanly grooming/cleaning to the point he has chewed his hair off one of his legs?

I beg you to try the vet again, my cat was diagnosed with a "Behavioral" problem, then we found out he was just allergic to his food. You can research good/bad ingredients all over the Internet. I had to request a blood test to be certain, but I'm happy to buy special food rather than give him kitty-Prozac.