My cat Jasper over grooms himself. I got him from a gal cause she couldn't do nothing with him. So I took him and he's alot better than he was. But he still over grooms especially on his front legs. I try and keep him stress free as much as I can. I took him to the vet and he was getting a allergy shot. I don't know what more I can do for him. Any suggestions?
Hi there, I'm Dr Linda, a small animal vet with 10 years of experience.
I'm sorry to hear about this issue with Jasper.
If the allergy shots helped, this would point towards an allergy.
If these were immunotherapy shots, they do not always 'cure' allergies but can reduce signs. It may be he needs further treatment.
If these were steroids, these tend to reduce itch only very temporarily. Many cats would need ongoing treatment with anti itch medicine to control flare ups.
So I do think a re-check is wise, as we need to make sure we have a diagnosis here. If not done, this may include a flea comb, skin swab and/or skin scrape.
It's wise to ensure Jasper is up to date with his flea/mite prevention.
As it is his front legs affected, I'd also wonder about joint pain. This is especially true if he is older or had any previous injuries. I'd ask you vet to perform a mobility/joint check.
If this is stress related, things that can help would include:
Hopefully we can get him more comfortable soon.
she doesn't appear to be uncomfortable just over grooms. She is a very clean kitty and loves to be brushed which I take care daily.
