<p>Ok. Its not major. He is getting kind of fat, but its the winter so its ok if he gets a little chubby. But the problem is he really likes to clean himeslf a whole lot. He doesnt have furball problems but he kind of is pulling out all his hair in just two spots like on his side right above his back legs. But it looks like its even on the left and right. He pulled out like half his hair just in those two spots. Is he hot? Does it matter. He might have dry skin. Is there any way i can tell. The vet said they wont tell me unless i schedule an apointment and my mom wont pay to take him there unless he gets attacked by another animal and is bleeding or for his shots every year.</p>
<p>Ok. 33 people viewed this and nobody knows anything? Does anyone have a cat who pulls out all its hair in one spot?</p>
<p>kollegekid, try Googling “cat pulling out fur” or something similar and you’ll find a ton of info. I’ve always had good luck finding at least basic information online when I need it, though you need to check multiple sources and remember that nothing can replace consulting with a professional.</p>
<p>Good luck with kitty!</p>
<p>The below article is something I found helpful when my cat had a similiar problem.
Good luck, hope your kitty feels better!</p>
<p>"There are several reasons that cats pull out their fur. Sometimes it is a behavioral thing but lots of times it is due to problems such as fleas, mange, ringworm (a fungal infection), allergies, immune mediated disease and bacterial infections. </p>
<p>Even if you never see fleas, you can not assume that they are not present on a cat that has skin disease. Cats are extremely good at removing fleas from their body and cats that are allergic to fleas are usually even better at than other cats. So it is almost always best to use a product like fipronil (Frontline Topspot Rx) or imidoclopramide (Advantage Rx) that will kill fleas. These products also kill some of the types of mange mites that affect cats, so they help if that is a problem, too. </p>
<p>If using a flea control product does not solve the skin problem, then it is a good idea to have your vet examine your cat and determine if one of the other skin diseases is present. This can take several visits since the conditions look very much alike and it is easy to believe that one problem is present and decide to treat for it rather than do a lot of testing. If the treatment doesn’t work, then testing becomes much more important. </p>
<p>Behavioral hair pulling is usually a diagnosis that is made after other causes have been ruled out and the problem still persists. There are medications that help many cats with this type of problem and sometimes relatively easy to implement changes in the cat’s lifestyle can help. I really think that behavioral problems should be considered but I also really think it is important to eliminate most other causes before relying on this diagnosis. </p>
<p>I honestly think it would be best to get Frontline or Advantage, if you are not already using one of these products. If they do not produce a lot of improvement in two to three weeks, then it would be best to have your vet examine your cat and start the process of diagnosing her problem. </p>
<p>In the meantime, some cats respond favorably to antihistamines. Chlorpheniramine (Chlortrimeton TM) 4mg, 1/2 tablet twice a day is an OK dose for most adult cats but it would be best to ask your vet to help you determine the dosage specifically for your cat if you want to try antihistamines. </p>
<p>Hope this helps. </p>
<p>Mike Richards, DVM 8/22/99"</p>
<p>Thanks timeflew and Mike. We gave him Frontline in the summer fall and spring cause he goes out alot then, but there arent really any bugs in the winter and he stays inside alot too so we dont give him frontline in the winter cause i bet it isnt good for him to have the chemicals (and it costs alot so my mom wont buy it for the whole year). I dont think its flees cause i dont see any and he only pulls his hair out in just the two spots above his back legs. He doesn’t itch and scratch all over besides his usually cleaning licking. I just saw what looked like dandruff, so i think he has dry skin.
I had to give him pills before cause he got into a fight and had a huge cut and it wasnt fun getting him to eat the pills. I had to put the plastic thing in his mouth and he tried to spit the pills out and bite me and it was no fun. Just like when i try cutting his claws. He hates that too even tho he can walk better when they are trimmed.
He is doing ok now and didnt pull out too much more hair and it looks like it is growing back some. I think he might have been hot cause his winter coat was getting fluffy and it was still warm, but now it is cold and he probably knows he needs his fur in case he goes outside and cant get back in the house. He even wanted to go outside today and its snowing!</p>
<p>I feel like im gunna puke. 173 people looked at this and only 2 even said anything. Dont any of you have cats? I call my cat wimpy but it isnt his real name. He was a stray and i gave him a home and hes my best friend now. He is all black and sometimes gets stepped on and now he is getting fat cause he doesn’t go outside alot and he eats alot but its the winter. My aunt just saw him today and thought he was prego. I said its a he cat. Its bad when he is so fat people think he is prego.</p>
<p>This forum is NOT for medical advice. Please consult your veterinarian. This thread needs to be locked.</p>
<p>i have alot of friends here and i know one person i am not gunna ask to be my friend. i’m asking about my cat and his grooming and if anyone else has a cat that does the same thing and if there are people here who know about animals then they would know. its not like he needs surgury. and the vets dont want to tell you anything unless you pay them and i cant take him there until its time for his check up and shots. but now he isnt doing it as much but he has dry skin now and danruff sometimes. but he is getting fat! cause he stays inside in the winter and doesnt even do anything except eat. so im gunna find him some fat free food.</p>
<p>it could also be something as simple as obsessive overgrooming. there’s a good chance your kitty somehow caught a fungal infection or something though. if i were you i would find an over the counter fungal ointment or shampoo, and use that, just to rule that out. especially because the vet might charge a lot to decide that’s what it is, and that’s the only advice they’ll give you. you can take your kitty’s temperature (kitty thermometer, or normal thermometer with a water based lube anally) to check for a bacterial infection. check about how high the temperature might be for that. and then you will probably need an antibiotic from the vet. you know, you might call up the vet and ask them about this sort of thing that you can do at home, because vets know they’re expensive. if it’s something like mange though, i’m pretty sure you’ll have to go to the vet. i would definitely try to rule out fungal and bacterial first though. </p>
<p>i hope this helps :)</p>
<p>(double check what i say with other people though, i’m not a vet yet!!)</p>
<p>Thanks jewel. I called the vet and they said they cant say over the phone. But my cat does clean alot and he isnt missing all the hair in the spot, just like half of it. Its almost time for his yearly check up so im gunna ask the vet cause he still has some fur and he stays inside in the winter so he wont get cold. He was getting fat so he has new food. And last time we went to the vet they took his temperature and i didnt think he would let the vet but he didnt care. It was kind of wierd.</p>
<p>We just had a cat into the clinic this week (I’m a 4th year vet student) that was pretty much exactly the same (fat cat, pulling the hair out on his hind legs). We found it was most likely because his anal glands were full and we had to express them for him. Most thinner cats are able to reach all the way back and groom their “butt” area (I know it’s gross, but that’s what they do), but it’s hard when they’re overweight. Trying some Frontline or Advantage is a good idea, too–I know it’s winter, but fleas can live inside your house. But just like your vet can’t tell over the phone what’s wrong, I can’t tell over the internet, either–get your kitty to the vet! I know it’s not your fault, but if your family can’t afford to care for your kitty, they shouldn’t have gotten it in the first place.</p>
<p>Ok. thanks. Heres the thing though. I never got him he got me. He was a stray and the animals rights people got him fixed and cut his ear and let him go and he was hungry and needed a home so i fed him and now he stays here and sleeps in my room. He has his frontline now but he still has a bare spot but its not on his legs near his but its kind of on his back about 2/3 from his head. Hes not so fat that he cant clean yet but since you said that im gunna make sure he doesnt get so fat that he cant clean cause thats super gross.</p>