You are here:
- Home
- Animals/Pets
- Cats
- Cats
- Miss Tilly
Cats/Miss Tilly
Advertisement
Question
For the last couple weeks my cat has been twitching her tail, licking her fur
constantly, and losing a lot of fur, and we also found scab like hive bumps on
the base of her tail, and on her head. The base of the tail seems tender when
you touch it Miss Tilly meows and turns her head and licks you when you are
touching that spot. She has been sneezing a lot lately, too.
Terrie,
Miss Tilly needs to see a vet. There are numerous potential causes for her to be losing fur, seeming to be itchy, having a rash and seeming to have more irritated skin. The sneezing may be an upper respiratory infection which will likely need to be properly treated by a vet. Unfortunately I can't offer a diagnosis or home remedy when there's a medical issue going on, I'm not a vet. If the vet isn't able to determine a cause based solely on a complete physical exam then he/she may need to do skin scrapings to check for mites or mange, blood work to see how the internal organs are functioning properly and if this kitty goes outside you may have to keep her indoors in the future if something like a flea allergy is the problem. There is the possibility that the cause of the symptoms you are mentioning may be related to an improperly functioning thyroid gland among other things. If you are concerned about taking the most natural approach you can then my recommendation would be to seek help from a holistic vet. The nice thing about a holistic approach is that the whole animal is treated and with alternative therapies like homeopathy you can see incredible results fairly quickly. Holistic veterinarians are trained in conventional medicine as well as "alternative" therapies such as acupuncture, massage or homeopathy. My family vet is a wonderful practitioner with a holistic approach and I find it comforting to know that she treats my fur babies with the same love and respect that I do. I have seen amazing things happen when homeopathic remedies have been used on my resident cats, in fact I believe that I owe my oldest cat's life to a combination of homeopathic remedies and conventional medicine. The most important thing is that you find a vet who makes you feel comfortable and handles your cats with the love and respect that they deserve. I would be very interested in hearing the cause of Miss Tilly's symptoms if you wouldn't mind sending the diagnosis off, I may be able to use that information to help another cat somewhere down the line and I enjoy the chance to learn something new about cats in general.
Related Articles
- Spay-Neuter FAQ - Is it possible for the spay of a female cat to fail
- Memorial Tribute to Oscar - Reader Stories: Memorials to Cats Loved and Lost
- Financial Help for Veterinary Emergencies - When Your Cats Life Depends on Vet Care
- Who wants to be a Veterinaire? Veterinary Trivia game
- Sophie Thinks the FURminator is Purrfect - Reader Review: FURminator deShedding Tool
Answers by Expert:
Ali
Expertise
I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.
Experience
I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.
Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.