Question:
I have an 11-year-old calico cat that has developed a strange condition. I brush her daily because she has very thick fur. Recently, however, when I brush her back near the tail she develops a "frantic posture" -- she licks her lips, swings her head around, and bites at her feet and anything else in sight. It is almost like a sexual thing.
She is getting to be a pest, following me around looking to be scratched in this tail area. Can you give me some idea what I can do about it?
Luna is an indoor-outdoor cat, but the weather has kept her indoors most of the time. Could it be her skin is dried up from being indoors?
D.W., Brick, NJ Jul 17, 2011
Answer:
The kind of skin sensitivity that you describe could be due to several factors:
- Intense daily brushing, especially with a FURminator (which our cats love).
- A recent change in diet or the development of food hypersensitivity, especially to ingredients such as corn, dairy products and beef in the cat's regular food.
- A hyperactive thyroid gland, all too common a problem in older cats exposed to flame retardants and other chemicals in their environments. Symptoms can include excessive grooming, skin hypersensitivity and increased irritability, with weight loss and increased appetite as the diseases progresses. I think this is the most likely factor.
Give your cat a few drops of fish oil, such as Nordic Naturals for cats, in case she has an omega fatty acid deficiency in her diet, which can mean dry and itchy skin. If her condition does not improve in three to four weeks, schedule a veterinary checkup.
There is also the possibility that she is simply becoming more "touchy" with age, and that what once felt like pleasant petting or grooming is now hyperstimulating. In that case, you must make less intense contact for a while.
Visit Dr. Fox's website at TwoBitDog.com/DrFox.
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