The Cat Doctor Veterinary Hospital and Hotel

Over-Grooming

My cat is grooming herself so much she has developed a bald spot on her tummy? What causes this?

The common possibilities range from fleas and ringworm to allergies or stress. Your cat’s veterinarian can help sort through the various frustrating possibilities by using a special comb to look for fleas and running a fungal culture to rule out ringworm. If these infectious sources are not the cause, a thorough history taken by the veterinarian can sometimes help decipher between allergies or stress. Often they both play a role since an itchy allergy can surely cause even the most calm cat to become anxious. Treatments? Yes, there are many and prescribed on a case-by-case basis. The first thing to do however is to have your cat examined by her veterinarian and for you to be patient as the cause of “over-grooming” can sometimes be difficult to determine.

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9151 Ustick Rd., Boise, ID 83704 (208) 327-7706 FAX (208) 327-0676

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