Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: JenGeorgieBob on September 30, 2010, 16:51:11 PM
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Hi,
Benji occasionally pulls out little clumps of fur, normally on the backs of his legs when it is a little clumpy there as he does not like me to brush there. It wasn't very often and did not seem a problem. Now he has started pulling out the fur on his side! He has given himself a little bald patch there, the skin is not broken, sore or anything. It all looks fine, but I do not know why he is doing this?
His diet is the same as it has always been, there is nothing new in his environment, the only thing is we have had to shut him in the bedroom a couple of times recently as the gas-man always leaves the front door open when he goes in and out and he has been here recently due to problems with the oven.
He has no signs of fleas or anything so I am confused and worried about his fur pulling!
Also he has FIV and so is an indoor only cat so it is unlikely he has caught anything from outside.
any suggestions? should I take him to the vet? (not something he particularly enjoys, lol!)
thanks for any help!
Jen and Benji
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hmmmmmmm it could be stress but afraid dont know, if its only when you have shut him in then it maybe but it could be that he is hurting somewhere and best to check with a vet earlier rather than later when he maybe hurting his skin. It would then take much longer to control. :hug: :hug:
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He did it twice yesterday afternoon and since then he has not done it again! I was worried all night that he would be downstairs pulling all his fur out, but he has done nothing! The only other thing that could have set it off yesterday I suppose was the return of the neighbourhood cat that Benji REALLY hates!!! Benji throws himself at the window in an attempt to get at him (the other cats Benji seems to quite like, but not this one!) so I suppose the cumulation of everything could have made him insecure?
I am going to keep an eye on him and any sign he is doing it again and he will have a collar on and a vet visit!
I am going to order some feliway as well, I know it is a bit late now, but maybe it will help prevent any future episodes? (if it is a stress thing)
I have had a good feel of him all over and he did not flinch away or anything and has been acting his usual self, we got his toys out last night and had a good playing session (my fiance keeps tidying them up which I think does not help!) He is eating, weeing, pooing fine and seems well...it is very odd!
And at a time when I am (hopefully) going to be taking in a couple of brain damaged kittens, I am now wondering if it is selfish of me to want to when Benji is like this.....but then I am a worrier...
Thanks for the help though! :) it is appreciated
Jen
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Yes I think feliway is a good idea, keep moving his toys not LOL
To be brutally honesst I dont think new cats are going to help him, I am afraid.
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It does sound as if it may be stress related, Feliway is a good idea :) There are obviously the normal 'expected' things that cause stress but it could be something that you would least expect that has affected him. Hopefully the Feliway will take the edge off whatever is bothering him and get him back on an even keel :)
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I have ordered it now, so will just have to wait and see.
I will explain the situation to the rescue place and wait and see how Benji does before I consider the kittens (they wouldn't be here for another 2 weeks though and at the moment have not been vet cleared). If they go to another home before Benji is doing better then it wasn't meant to be.
He does seem to be scared of a lot of men, so far he is not scared of my fiance or my step dad, both of whom are quiet men, but the gas man and any other man that comes round, he is quite scared of (slightly louder, bigger men that sort of stride across the living room kinda men, lol). Which makes me think something may have happened to him in his past to create this fear, I am not sure.
Benji comes first though, before any other new cats.
I just want him to be happy :)
edited to add: Just had a thought, I have just this week gone back to uni to start my masters so I am not home as much and my routine has changed, could this have affected him too?
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Understand totally about the men you are talking about lol
Yes you going back to Uni probably has upset him too cos cats are creatures of routine and a change is worrying for them.
If thtaqt is what the problem is then he will settle again soon I think.
My two big cats came from bad pasts and both are terrified of people and if my doorbell goes they are instantly hiding :(
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Firstly I'd get a vet check, my Schui used to this so did my sister's cat Thomas but I checked with my vet. If they are otherwise healthy it can be various reasons they do this, stress related, boredom or just habit like some humans bite nails etc. Let us know how things go.
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It is not impossible for Benji to have fleas - Noah is indoor and had to be treated recently. Even tho he is pure white I only found one flea and no dirt but if that one was laying eggs ... Having said that it does sound more like stress: I am not sure two weeks will be long enough to be confident the habit is broken. :shy:
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well, Benji did it a couple of times more and both times he stared at us while he did it (I think because I rushed over to him and gave him attention when he did it previously). Instead of rushing over to him, I wiggled his feather stick round and he got distracted and stopped. He did not do it at all when we were not there, which is what makes me think there was no irritation, as surely then he would have done it at other times as well?
Then we went away for a day and a half (I had a friend come over to look after Benji) and during that time he did not do it at all and since (touch wood) he has not pulled his fur out again and it is growing back well.
thanks for the help and advice though! :)
Jen and Benji
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Glad it seems to have fizzled out, hope he doesn't start up again! :hug: