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Is there a fix for fur-pulling?
published 06/22/2009 | View all articles from this day
Q: Our cat has been pulling his hair out in chunks for the last two years. He now has bald spots. We took him to the vet, and they gave us medicine that didn’t help. He began pulling out his hair when our dog got cancer and died. Could this be related? We have three other cats, so I can’t imagine he’s bored, and they all get along pretty well. What can we do to stop this behavior? — J.M., via e-mail
A: Fur-pulling can become an obsessive-compulsive disorder in cats, one that starts as a coping mechanism in response to stress. Your cat may have started the fur-pulling to lessen the stress of losing his dog pal.
You mention the fur-pulling started when your dog was dying with cancer and finally died two years ago. The stress of not knowing what was happening and not knowing what to do could be a reason why your cat starting pulling out his fur. Your cat was unable to control the cause of the stress, but he could control the fur-pulling. When your dog died, the social dynamics in the household changed, and your cat may have lost confidence and continues to be stressed by it.
We understand how stressful it can be for many cats to ride in the car and to be at the veterinary hospital, especially if the cat expects scary and painful things to happen. However, getting a thorough veterinary exam with diagnostic testing is important. Fur-pulling can indicate a physical discomfort or stress, a hormone imbalance, a neurologic problem or other medical issue. We recommend ruling out allergies and skin infection. Your veterinarian can recommend a hypo-allergenic diet and a specialist for a complete dermatological workup to rule out allergies and skin disease. A fresh start with a veterinary specialist or a house-call vet may be easier for you and your cat.
Once you determine your cat is healthy and comfortable, the question becomes whether or not the fur-pulling is interfering with your cat’s quality of life. If your cat’s fur-pulling is at the expense of other normal cat activity, we urge you to get help from a veterinary behaviorist. On the other hand, if the cat is acting normally and not pulling fur all day long every day, then a reasonable decision is to simply let it go.
All information copyright 2009 by Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori.
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