After further review on this topic. There is no definitive solution to the problem. I have read a bunch of articles that really can not pinpoint the exact reason this happens. Now I start tweaking when my cats are cleaning themselves not really , but it has opened my eyes to the problem.
Your cat has been doing this for about three years and you haven't taken her to a vet!? I advise a visit to the kitty doctor.
A really common cause of this behavior can actually be the food your cat's eating. Sadly, many commercial cat food companies (Iams, Purina, Friskies, Science Diet, Fancy Feast, etc.) use cheap fillers like corn, wheat, and glutens, and/or artificial dyes to make the food colorful, and these things can sometime cause sensitivities or allergic reactions in some pets. Corn is a big one. I've been in the 'pet care' field for about 7 years now and diet & nutrition has always been a big interest of mine, so I've done a ton of research into it. I would suggest looking carefully at the ingredients list on your cat's food, as that's really what determines the quality of the food. You want to feed something that's mostly made of a real meat protein source (chicken, turkey, duck, rabbit, vension, beef), and only a minimal amount of a 'binding agent' (peas, sweet potato). You want to avoid grains/glutens/dyes as they are nothing but cheap fillers/colors that can actually cause problems such as: excess dander/shedding, bad coat odor, hair loss, scratching/licking, loose stools, etc. and even more serious medical conditions down the road like diabetes and obesity, for example. One thing to look for in a high-quality pet food is "grain free". But also pay attention to the ingredients list to make sure that real meat is the first ingredient(s). Whatever is listed before the main fat source is what makes up the majority of the food. I'll name a few brands that I would recommend as being high-quality and less reaction-causing. Blue Buffalo "Wilderness" Wellness "CORE" Nature's Variety "Instinct" Merrick "BG" Weruva/Soulistic Innova "EVO" Natural Balance "LID" One more thing to note is that hydration is extremely important for cats, especially since they don't drink water on their own nearly as much as they should. Cats fed a dry-food-only diet don't drink nearly enough water to compensate for how much moisture the dry food absorbs once eaten. Eventually this leads to mild chronic dehydration, which can mean urinary tract/kidney problems for kitty. Dry-food-only is actually not good for a cat's teeth either, contrary to popular belief. It's the equivalent of eating dry cereal day in and day out without brushing, it builds up. But having said all that, I'm not an actual vet, so please don't take my advice as a diagnosis. I have a feeling that your kitty's problem is diet-related but there's also still a chance it could be something else. An obsessive nervous behavior would be one possibility, for example. I hope you're able to get it figured out though, that can't feel good for her all this time.
LOL... If it was a dog i'd say maybe she is stressed about something? Bored....? But i'm not familiar with cats.
Science Diet recently changed their formula to include more chicken as well as completely eliminating grain. I had a cat that ate friskies every day for 12 years and she lived to be 19 and didn't get sick once. Just like people, they are all different. Just wanted to share that about the food.
True, but at the same time I've seen hundreds of cats (and dogs) suffer from the effects of poor nutrition. I've seen many pets improve greatly from their illness/ailment with nothing more than diet change, so it's very evident how important proper nutrition can be. In my opinion it's just not worth taking the risk on whether or not my pet will have any problems, I'd rather just feed them right from the start to lower those chances. Just want to help other people out.
My cat over grooms when stressed(many do), maybe try chilling with your kitty and hope she catches the good vibes.
MY CAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. It is an allergy of some kind, to either food, or environment. Take the kitty to the vet and they will help and give them a low dose of antibiotic to stop the itching.
lol, some of these answers, man.. Your cat is fine, underahoneymoon. Cats dont groom just to clean themselves, they do it to feel better, too. She's not irritated, or suffering from some zionist pyramid virus, she simply licks herself too much, this is the most common behavioral problem amongst cats, being weaned too early is the direct cause, and there's no real way to stop it. The only way I can really see this being stopped is by spraying bitter apple on her paws, and that's NOT something anyone should do.
Your cat is really cute so I understand why you want to find out what's wrong. One poster above mentioned food. I recently got my Mom's cat after she moved. It's an Abyssinian Female. Mom fed he Iams dry food, with cheap canned food then gave he all sorts of bad stuff like popcorn, oranges (yes..the cat ate oranges if Mom chewed it first) and ice cream. When I got her, I immediately started her on a diet of Blue Buffalo, Wilderness dry food, and half of a small can of Tender Vittles, Chicken. In a few months, her coat started to look so much better, her breath smells fresh and she lost over 1lb. Now, she's healthy, looks great and has no skin issues. I'm convinced most commercial cat food is garbage. I think you should try different food, no grains and lots of protein and taurine. Cats are carnivores and carbo's are bad for them. They get tartar on their teeth, and get overweight really quick unless they eat protein only. Avoid carbohydrates and let your cat eat plenty of protein and fat...yes...it's good for cats. I'll bet she stops licking her paws....unless she has something wrong with the paws. Get her checked by a Vet. BTW....it's a really cool looking kitty.
If there isn't a fungal infection or other skin problem that a vet can find, changing her diet might help!
Lol, i give the correct answer, and it just dies in a fiery crash. Cats that are weaned too early have a habit of over-grooming. This is pretty-much thumb-sucking, really. It comforts them during anxiety. You have nothing to worry about, diet will NOT change this behavior. You will have to find out what's causing this anxiety and remedy it. Some argue a cause to be too-little time in the sun for indoor cats, insufficient play routines, and the like. Remember they are creatures of habit, and the simple act of moving a favored cushion to sleep on to a new location can trigger over-grooming. It's only a problem when they do it so often that lesions and VERY sore areas develop. that's when it becomes a cause for concern, and warrants a trip to the vet.
I don't know how you could possibly be so sure that you gave the "correct answer"... Your guess is as good as anyone else's based off of what little information OP has given. While it is true that some cats may exhibit similar behaviors due to being weaned too early/removed from the the mother too soon, suckling is actually the common behavior, not simply licking their fur too much... Generally cats who have been weaned or removed from their mother too soon will develop a habit of sucking on fabrics (towel, rug, your shirt, etc.) or even their own tail/paw. I have seen this many times, and even in 3 of my own cats when they were very young, though they have since outgrown it. Most do simply outgrow it. However the issue that OP speaks of is almost staple for a food allergy. I have been trained as a vet tech and have 6+ years of experience at the animal shelter I work at, and have seen this more times than you apparently realize. I have cared for and treated literally thousands of cats over the years so I'm not just pulling this advice out of my ass, I'm trying to help OP with what I have learned. As I said before, I am not an actual vet and have not seen OP's cat myself so obviously I (nor anyone else, including you) can diagnose the actual problem. But based on the description of excessive licking/pulling out hair all over the body, a food allergy/intolerance is one of the first things to try and eliminate. Again, no one here can know for sure but I have provided some information/advice that may be able to help. Beyond that OP will just have to take their cat to the vet if they want definitive answers. But FYI, it is sorely inaccurate for you to claim that "diet will NOT change this behavior", as I have actually seen diet change solve excessive licking/scratching problems MANY times before.
Yeah, i know nothing about cats. The fact that i owned one that had this same problem (and successfully reduced by paying attention to what stresses her out) for 19+ years doesn't mean anything. Anyone that truly knows about cats, KNOWS that the best food all-around for all cats is RAW FUCKING MEAT. All these stupid name-brand fancy foods are packed with bullshit and most of their "beneficial" ingredients are nothing more than filler, both for a cat's stomach, and the ignorance that comes with anthropomorphizing non-human animals. What you should be feeding your cat to keep it healthy is beef heart. Beef heart is loaded with taurine. Nothing else. Just beef heart. All commercial pet food is garbage. C'mon now, you shoulda known that.
Lol I never claimed you "know nothing about cats", all I was trying to say is that it's not right for you to discredit everything anyone else said because you think "you gave the right answer". Don't be so defensive, just read what I wrote with an open mind, jeez. I'm not even saying you're wrong, as your theory is definitely possible (like I said), but the point is that neither of us can know for sure based on what little we know of OP's cat's situation. All we can do is offer advice, and recommend a vet visit if the problem persists... And it's funny you should mention that about a raw diet - I 100% completely agree with you that a raw diet is what's best for an obligate carnivore like a cat. All 7 of my cats are on a homemade raw diet and have been eating raw for years. Unfortunately in my experience I've learned that not a lot of people are open to the idea of a raw diet, so I usually just recommend the next best thing - which is a grain free high meat content pet food. And contrary to what you seem to believe, there is a huge difference between the garbage like Purina/Iams/Science Diet and a much better pet food option like Blue 'Wilderness' or Nature's Variety 'Instinct'. Still, a properly balanced homemade raw diet is the best, but for those who can't/won't do that, what I've recommended is the next best option... And again, I have seen pets with hair loss/excessive licking/skin conditions improve greatly with a simple diet change, even if they're only switched to a higher quality pet food and not a raw diet. So it is possible. About the beef heart ONLY thing though - I sincerely hope you're joking. Why would you even say something like that? Please don't ever recommend anyone to feed their cat nothing but beef hearts. If you feed a cat absolutely nothing more than beef heart that cat will NOT be getting all the proper nutrients they need and after a time will become severely ill... (maybe you should do some research) A properly balanced raw diet consists of the right balance of meat, bone, and organ (most people even add a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement just to be safe and make sure they're not missing any vital nutrients). My cats get a mixture of chopped whole chicken thighs with skin and bone, chicken hearts, and chicken livers. I also add eggs, fish oil, and a supplement called Kitty Bloom VM900+3. My oldest cats are about 8 years old, and between all 7 of them, I've never had a single health issue, which I firmly believe is due to their species-appropriate diet. In any case, I'm not trying to derail the thread here... I just wanted to offer some advice and possibly help out OP's cat. Speaking of which, is he/she even reading this thread anymore?