Question:
Our 13-year-old domestic shorthaired cat has been licking and scratching obsessively since last March.I have taken her to my regular vet, who checked and found no mites. The cat dermatologist I took her to gave steroids and cyclosporine. The steroids cleared up the scratching, but the cyclosporine makes the cat feeble and changes its personality. Plus, it doesn't work completely, as she still has bouts of tearing off fur from vigorous scratching. I've adjusted the pills: give a steroid when heavy scratching takes place, give 1/2 cyclosporine pill when she is not herself, etc. (The whole dosage makes her sleep a lot, and I feel bad giving that to her.) Thank you for any help you may provide.
S.I., Dennison, MN Feb 11, 2007
Answer:
Your poor cat should be tested for hyperthyroidism and then for food allergies, the most likely causes of your cat's skin disorder. The fact that the veterinarian does not appear to have tested for either of these common causes is disturbing. Ruling out fleas, these are the two most common reasons why cats lick, scratch and self-mutilate.
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