A little worried about my kitty . .

LynnCandy · 12-15-2012, 03:20 PM

For about a month or so, my cat has been biting off the hair on his lower back. There are no dramatic changes in our household that could cause him to do so, other than his reluctance to go outside. Not too much longer, he got threw up twice and seem constipated after we purchase a bigger bag of our normal cat food. We gave him some cat food with pumpkin to help him use the bathroom, which help and he is now better, however, ever since then he doesn't want to eat his dry food (he does eat the dry food but only if he really has to). He is consistently wining for food and he is always grooming himself. I don't know where this is behavior problems or physical?

I really don't know what is wrong. I've been thinking that he might have something wrong with his teeth. I are a little dirty but not really noticeable. And, it cost so much money to get his teeth clean! Please any suggestions on his condition or on what I should do would help. Thank you.
By the way, he is about 5 or 6 years old.

catloverami · 12-15-2012, 03:44 PM

Dry food isn't very good for cats. Here's an excellent article on cat nutrition:
Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition :: healthy cat diet, making cat food, litter box, cat food, cat nutrition, cat urinary tract health

Even the cheapest canned food is better than dry kibble, and it's possible this is irritating his skin that causes him to bite at his back.
At age 5 or 6 yrs., he likely does have quite a bit of tartar on his teeth. Dental care for a cat is one of the costs of having a healthy pet and if it is not done can lead to more serious health problems. Once you have his teeth cleaned, you can give him some raw chicken wings to chew on. These will help keep the tartar from forming again. Make sure they are raw and not cooked, as cooking makes the bones brittle and could cause injury. Not all cats will eat raw meat (mine won't), but there are supplements available to sprinkle on the food that inhibit tartar formation.

**doodlebug** · 12-15-2012, 03:48 PM

Biting hair on his lower back...like at the base of his tail? Fleas maybe? And if he has fleas, he could very well have tapeworms which might account for him being hungry.

Arianwen · 12-15-2012, 04:05 PM

Fleas sprang to my mind as well as the most likely problem but it could be the equivalent of OCD. I would look at your food in case it is a reaction.

Mitts & Tess · 12-15-2012, 08:01 PM

Food allergy?

LynnCandy · 12-24-2012, 07:22 PM

No, he doesn't have fleas. I've cheek for fleas and I don't see any. However, he did have fleas during the late summer months, so he could have got a parasite. And yes, his hair is coming off where the back ends and tail begins.

I think the parasite or dental care are good possibilities. Most likely, he probably has a parasite problem of some sort, I think, but either way, I think I need to take him to the vet to a check up.
Thank you for your suggestions! They really help!

I have another question.
Do they sell any dental care products for cats at pet stores? If so, which ones would you recommend if you have tried any on your cat?

12-15-2012, 03:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
LynnCandy Kitten Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 3	A little worried about my kitty . . For about a month or so, my cat has been biting off the hair on his lower back. There are no dramatic changes in our household that could cause him to do so, other than his reluctance to go outside. Not too much longer, he got threw up twice and seem constipated after we purchase a bigger bag of our normal cat food. We gave him some cat food with pumpkin to help him use the bathroom, which help and he is now better, however, ever since then he doesn't want to eat his dry food (he does eat the dry food but only if he really has to). He is consistently wining for food and he is always grooming himself. I don't know where this is behavior problems or physical? I really don't know what is wrong. I've been thinking that he might have something wrong with his teeth. I are a little dirty but not really noticeable. And, it cost so much money to get his teeth clean! Please any suggestions on his condition or on what I should do would help. Thank you. By the way, he is about 5 or 6 years old.

12-15-2012, 03:44 PM	#2 (permalink)
catloverami Cat Addict Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Cobourg, Ontario, Canada Posts: 3,146	Dry food isn't very good for cats. Here's an excellent article on cat nutrition: Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition :: healthy cat diet, making cat food, litter box, cat food, cat nutrition, cat urinary tract health Even the cheapest canned food is better than dry kibble, and it's possible this is irritating his skin that causes him to bite at his back. At age 5 or 6 yrs., he likely does have quite a bit of tartar on his teeth. Dental care for a cat is one of the costs of having a healthy pet and if it is not done can lead to more serious health problems. Once you have his teeth cleaned, you can give him some raw chicken wings to chew on. These will help keep the tartar from forming again. Make sure they are raw and not cooked, as cooking makes the bones brittle and could cause injury. Not all cats will eat raw meat (mine won't), but there are supplements available to sprinkle on the food that inhibit tartar formation. __________________ "There are no ordinary cats." "Time spent with a cat is never wasted." ~ Colette "A loving cat can mend a wounded heart." ~ Unknown Author

12-15-2012, 03:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
doodlebug Super Moderator Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 19,008	Biting hair on his lower back...like at the base of his tail? Fleas maybe? And if he has fleas, he could very well have tapeworms which might account for him being hungry. __________________ And their companion, Jake, the dog. Onyx, Callie May & Maggie forever in my heart.

12-15-2012, 08:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
Mitts & Tess Premier Cat Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 9,562	Food allergy? __________________ ~Merry~ With my eyes, they will be seen...With my voice, they will be heard.... With my hands, they will know comfort...With my action, they will be free... ~TNR and Rescue changes lives of animals.~ When the angels are busy God sends rescuers

12-15-2012, 04:05 PM	#4 (permalink)
Arianwen Cat Addict Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South Wales, UK Posts: 1,595	Fleas sprang to my mind as well as the most likely problem but it could be the equivalent of OCD. I would look at your food in case it is a reaction.

12-24-2012, 07:22 PM	#6 (permalink)
LynnCandy Kitten Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 3	No, he doesn't have fleas. I've cheek for fleas and I don't see any. However, he did have fleas during the late summer months, so he could have got a parasite. And yes, his hair is coming off where the back ends and tail begins. I think the parasite or dental care are good possibilities. Most likely, he probably has a parasite problem of some sort, I think, but either way, I think I need to take him to the vet to a check up. Thank you for your suggestions! They really help! I have another question. Do they sell any dental care products for cats at pet stores? If so, which ones would you recommend if you have tried any on your cat?

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