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Kitty who chows down on his fur!

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1.2K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  queen_sheba  
Q
#1 ·
Hello - I am posting this on behalf of my grandparents - who although fairly internet savvy - want a quicker and more exhaustive coverage as they are at a loss to explain. Bobby is a 5 year old black and white moggie who has been having problems with his coat for some time. when he washes, on occassion, he does so so fiercely that he leaves small bare patches in his fur which do not repair.

Various things have been tried - pregnicare pills to help his coat, zylkene to calm him down (as he is a nervous cat and jumps at the slightest loud noise) an exhaustive bug treatment which showed no infestation of any kind and various changes of diet. if you have experience of this condition, your advice would be greatly appreciated. many thanks! Sarah
 
H
#2 ·
Welcome to Cat Forum, and your Grandparent's kitty is lucky to have you helping to search for solutions.
The number one thing that popped into my head:
What is this kitty being fed?
It is *very* common for cats to have allergies, and most of the known cat allergens are ingredients that are in commercial (brands in grocery stores and/or can afford television advertising) cat foods.
I would check out the H/N forum under topics of allergies or what is the best foods to feed a kitty...

My next suggestion would be a flea allergy, but you say everything was recently de-bugged, so I'm not sure that would be it.
Good luck to you all in finding a solution for him!
heidi =^..^=
 
H
#4 ·
Yes, a very lucky kitty who is loved by his people...but I have recently learned that Iams is not a premium quality food and fish can be bad for cats, as well. I know...go figure!...I was surprised, too. I fed my kitties Iams for about a dozen years before I learned about better food here at CF. I am *not* knowledgeable about cat nutrition, so I cannot advise you other than to point out that Iams and fish are not that great. Mostly likely better than Purina or Meow Mix...but not by much.
 
N
#5 ·
I agree. It sounds like some sort of allergic reaction. My cat did the same thing. Just licked himself raw and it turned out he was allergic to something in his food. First, make sure the kitty and his environment are completely flea free.
Next diet. Iams, although a lot of vets sell and recommend it is not good food and is full of allergy triggers. Major allergy triggers for cats are: corn, wheat, glutens, soy, chicken and, yes, fish.
Best to find a food that is an alternate meat, if possible, like venison, duck or rabbit and no grains or any of the above and see how he does. Give it at least 8 weeks to see a change.
Good luck!
 
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