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Cats/Neurotic Siamese licking herself bald

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Expert: - 8/25/2009


Question
Greetings!
Thank you for taking the time to review my question. Calliope is about 2 years old, but she's been like this for ages- and she's not pure, she just looks Siamese, her brother is a tabby, and I rescued them from under a house. The problem got worse when I introduced another (at the time, not fixed) male cat to the household.
She basically licks herself constantly, and has significant fur thinning on her belly and in her 'armpits'. She's scabby around the neck where I assume she is scratching herself. All the cats are indoor/outdoor and the only time she has been to the vet is when I got her fixed at the ASPCA and I don't remember if they gave her any shots. I can't afford to medicate all three of them for fleas all year so I just do the three summer months when it seems to be the worse. It may be controversial that I am such a hands-off pet owner, but there are so many cats out there, especially in New Orleans who don't get fed at all...
Thanks for your help. I really love her and I just want her to be comfortable.
Kerry

Answer
Kerry,

I am not a vet, but from your description, the most likely cause of the over grooming you are seeing is allergies.  She is possibly allergic to fleas and possibly allergic to her feed (usually corn, wheat, and/or soy) or both!!!!!

The usualy treatment for allergies is steroids, but I would be very careful of that.  The best thing to do is to try to find a food she will not react to and to give her the flea treatment,

BTW, the Hemmingeay cats in Key West Florida seem to do very well even though ioty is apparent from looking at them, they have some allergy issues, as well!!!!!

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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