OCD

[dianne633]

Hi I have a cat that has ocd and don't know what to do for him, he has been pulling out his fur, he has patchs of no fur and he has this obsesion for licking he washes every one he doesn't seem to be able to stop,can anyone give me some advise.

thank you

[tic chick]

hi dianne!

i would take him to the vet first to make sure he doesn't have any fleas or something else that is causing him to pull out his fur. the vet might prescribe something as simple as benadryl to calm him down and stop him from pulling out his fur and licking. maybe spend a little time with your cat brushing his fur and playing with him, he just might need some attention?

just some thoughts,
jeannie

[dianne633]

Hi jeanne
I have had him to a vet she has got him on a sedative but he sleeps all the time and she has told me that he has OCD but i try not to give his tablet as he doesn't seem to like it and he doesn't play when he is on it we spend all day with thomas and night he sleeps in our room, thanks for the reply.

[TrimTab]

. . . this web site was for humans, I couldn't help but feel I should make a response to your feline fur ball problem . . . not that I know anything about it:

Here is a web site, which features one trying on a wig (but discusses your concern at some length):
http://cats.lovetoknow.com/Why_is_My_Cat_Missing_Fur

This one hits the nail on the head, I think (it covers my first guesses):
http://www.manhattancats.com/Article...s_in_cats.html

You might be interested to notice that the author in the first article is a she, as the feline is presumed to be, and the author of the second article is a he as the cat is presumed to be. Hmmmr.

My first guess would have been fleas.

I have never known a compulsive one, but is obsessive even possible since they always own the place? However, indeed, this web site does appear to be authoritative:
http://cats.about.com/od/behaviortra...ehavior101.htm
http://cats.about.com/od/obsessiveness/tp/ocdincats.htm

Good Luck,
I would try skin lotion on the troubled spots.

[Buttons2]

I'd try another vet. might also consider cutting the pill in half if possible? cats tend to sleep about 20hrs in a 24 hr period. good luck!

[dianne633]

Thank you for you recomendations I love your web site you sent me to i will talk to the vet again, I use advantage on tom every month it doesn't matter if he can't lick himself he washes our other cat or he licks my husbands head, he is just driving us nuts he wakes us in the night just licking us on the head we lock him out and he bangs on the door it we wake up.

[puddykat]

After a couple years of being with us our cat decided to pull our her fur too for some unknown reason. Vet put her on Chlorpheniramine, 4mg. She gets 1/2 to 1 tablet every 12 hours. It hasn't bothered her sleeping/wakefulness. And she isn't pulling her hair out anymore. She's a licker too, can't seem to stop that but mainly associated with me, her mom<G>
Hope this helps you or others..........good luck

[licorice]

Is is possible your kitty could be depressed? Any changes to the household? Reason I ask is when our dog and cat passed within 2 days of each other, the remaining cat whose mother was the dog (long story) and the cat was like his granddad, the remaining kitty starting pulling out his fur. It took him 5 - 6 weeks to come to terms with the death of his mom and his grandad and he slowly stopped. His back is normal again. People think that animals do not feel or think. We we on this site realize that yes, they do feel. Hope your kitty gets better soon. All the best.