My cat self-mutilates. How can I take care of this?

Question

I adopted my cat Charlie about 2 years ago and since then he's self-mutilated often, receiving a total of 35 stitches in his neck in the past 2 years. He's apparently done this since he was a kitten, and the previous owner failed to inform me when I took him. He has an incredibly sweet disposition, and I'd never even consider getting rid of him or euthanasia, but I would like to find a permanent solution to this problem.

We had him on anti-depressants for about 8 months, and in that time he didn't have any major issues (he still scratched enough to bleed), but he became shy and distant (he's normally an extremely friendly cat). We tried changing his food, which again seemed to help, but it ended up happening again. After watching him for so long, his scratching seems to be due to itchiness around his head/neck area, not stress or anxiety related.

My vet has recommended hypo-allergenic prescription food, but there are no guarantees that this will help. I've considered de-clawing his back paws, but I'm not sure if I can really bring myself to do that to him (yes, I know all about de-clawing as an amputational major surgery).

He's a very happy cat, and I take good care of him, he just scratches himself too much. I'm afraid that so much scar tissue has formed on his neck by now that he can't even feel when he cuts through it all...

Answer 1

Has he been checked for skin parasites?  Is he wearing a plastic-based collar (one of the most common allergy for a cat is plastic-based materials) Is he allergic to the flea treatment?  Have you bathed him recently - is he allergic to the shampoo?  Most cats do not intentionally hurt themselves - unlike humans, they do not have the thought process to rationalize a reasoning (most humans "cut" themselves to feel in control), so it most likely is a medical issue.  Cats can however, have neurological issues like depression and OCD.  I had to use a steroid pill for a few weeks with my Maine Coon because of her need to rub her head against things all the time (she actually rubbed herself bald).  We found out two things, one she has OCD and second, she was also allergic to plastic and after taking the medication, and changing her bowl to metal - the hair grew back.

Good Luck.

Answer 2

Take him to the vet to see if he has fleas.

Answer 3

Your cat doesn't have human depression what your cat has is fleas!  No you can't see them because they bite and leave.. they aren't an infestation. Your cat is allergic to the flea saliva you go to the vet and get this stuff you put in their food once a week, our mainecoone lost near all his hair in his back from pulling it out until our vet saw what was going on and gave us this stuff.  He ate regular cat food Purina Senior and lived to be 17-1/2 years old.  Get him to the vet!!!

(btw if you got a flea collar on him now he is probably allergic to it too)

Answer 4

I would definitely try the prescription diet but also ask your vet about steroid medication - either in tablet form or injection.  The problem with steroids is that they can affect a cat's organs but if you can get the problem under control you can then wean your cat off them completely or keep him on as small a dose as possible.

Answer 5

He might have a situation with a certain kind of parasite that can only be treate with an antibiotic. My cat was doing the same thing and now she's fine.ask the vet about that.

Answer 6

You do not need to declaw your cats back claws just keep them trimmed so he can not hurt himself. I have 3 cats and I clip their back claws when they get too long, so they do not hurt themselves or one another.

You can see where the blood line starts, so just make sure you do not clip there paw. I use a mans clipper it is wide enough to clip the toe nail with out any problems

Answer 7

The most common causes for skin conditions are parasites, food intolerance or inhaled allergens.  The web site below has a good article on skin allergies in cats with advice and information you may find helpful.

http://www.celiahaddon.co.uk/pet%20probl...

Rather than spending money on declawing, you might want to ask your vet for a referral to a vet who specialises in feline dermatology as they may be able to pinpoint the problem.

Hope you find help for your cat.