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Cat Excessive Chewing

 
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Hey all, my little cat has been chewing and licking her stomach for the past couple of months. she is now bald there, and has small red spots. Also around her tail now and her armpits. Thoughts? Cause? Cures? I have put coconut oil and castor oil on it but it just encourages her to lick there
 
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I'd mix a few drops (2 - 4) of Lavender essential oil into about an ounce of coconut oil, and try that, to discourage the behavior. The lavender will do a few things: 1 -  tastes bitter, which discourages licking; 2 - soothes & heals the skin; helps calm the cat, to ease nervousness/stress. I'd suggest a daily or alternating day massage, of about a dime-sized bit of it. Warmer in your hands and gently massaged it, kitty will probably be very receptive.

My first guess is that it's a stress behavior. The lavender/ coconut oil will maybe at least give you some clues about that. Other possibilities might include dry skin, allergies, something environmental that's getting under the skin, or parasites. The lavender/ coconut oil combo will usually help with all of these, at least to a degree - even the parasites. But, if it doesn't help, I'd strongly suggest the vet get involved. If it's something getting under the skin, the vet may have ways to help.
 
Almond Thompson
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Thank you Carla!! I'll try that
 
Almond Thompson
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Carla Burke wrote: Lavender essential oil


isn't this toxic to cats? Have you tried it?
 
Carla Burke
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It can be mildly toxic to them (might make them barf), but only if ingested, but it's so bitter, one lick is likely all it will take to make that stop. Also, as with many things, the poison is in the dosage, which is why I'm recommending such a tiny amount both for the mixture and for the application.
 
Almond Thompson
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Well, I tried the lavender, she doesn't seem to mind it at all. Is there another oil that is safe but bitter?
 
Carla Burke
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The next one I'd try would be frankincense - again, the dilution and tiny amounts are important,  for the same reasons.
 
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Is the grooming a result of a skin condition, stress or is the cat trying to soothe pain they may be experiencing. If this is something new could it be the result of an allergic reaction to a new food? One of my cats started to chew and consistently lick one spot, he was sick and being stressed by our other cat. You can buy Feliway online, it mimics kitty phermones and helps relax your cat if the problem is stress related and it is in no way toxic. I think they have a diffuser and a spray. It wont fix anything if your cat is sick, it just helps to alleviate stress.
 
Almond Thompson
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Frankincense did not deter her either
It's possible she's upset about our other two cats. They all seem to get along well but she does like to have her way and sometimes the one can be equally bossy, esp about food.
Amy, it seems like she is giving herself a condition as a result of the grooming. She licks her stomach so much that it turns red and blotchy
 
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I don't know if you can separate them, Feliway helps but it won't cure the root cause. I do know that in some cases cats that are sick in a colony with be beaten up by the other cats and pushed out of the colony to protect the whole. When my one cat was sick it was the first time I ever heard the other one growl. Also the first time he ever showed aggression towards her. If this is something new and your cat have been together for a long time there could be something else going on.
 
Carla Burke
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Almond Thompson wrote:Frankincense did not deter her either
It's possible she's upset about our other two cats. They all seem to get along well but she does like to have her way and sometimes the one can be equally bossy, esp about food.
Amy, it seems like she is giving herself a condition as a result of the grooming. She licks her stomach so much that it turns red and blotchy



I'll dig deeper, but right now, I can't think of anything (besides colloidal oat water, which she'd likely love) off the top of my head, that isn't also toxic. That said, I've only been looking at symptoms, so far, to find an immediate assist. I agree with Amy, though, in that it does sound like stress could well be the cause (one of the reasons I'd truly hoped the lavender would help). It could easily be that she started the excessive licking in response to the bossy cat, and has simply continued it, into a habit. You might want to try separating them, as Amy suggested. If that doesn't help, a neck donut or 'cone of shame' to prevent her from accessing it might help break the habit, too.
 
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I have had similar grooming/fur/bald issues with both cats and dogs. I have had great results supplementing foods with fish oil. I have only had one dog that truly had a food allergy and required special dietary needs. Maybe looking into an omega supplement might be worthwhile for you?
 
Carla Burke
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If you can get organic witch hazel, you can make a linement with calendula, that will taste nasty but be very healing and cooling. Witch hazel *can* be mildly upsetting to the tummy, but doesn't cause anything more severe than a mild tummy ache. Applied morning and night, it can help dramatically, in just 24 - 48 hrs. I'm sorry I didn't think of it, sooner - I have a tendency to forget about linements.
 
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