Excessive Cat Grooming/Psychogenic Alopecia

Cats spend a great amount of their lives grooming themselves. Outdoor cats tend to shed heaviest in the spring and fall, while most indoor cats shed year-round. Either way, cats will spend a good deal of time every day grooming themselves, licking their fur, removing objects and small mats, and even filing down their nails.


However, in somecats, grooming becomes excessive. A cat may excessively groom herself  if she goes through a period of excess shedding, such as with pregnancy or general illness. Other causes can include a parasite infestation such as fleas; the presence of burs, dirt, twigs or other matter; a bacterial or fungal skin infection; a skin irritation such as allergic dermatitis; or soap or other chemical irritants that have been left on the coat from bathing.
 

Excessive cat grooming/ psychogenic alopecia


You can tell that your cat grooms excessively if she makes herself bald or red in certain areas of her skin or creates open sores. Cats normally groom about one-third of the time that they are not sleeping, but this does not usually cause any irritation or noticeable hair loss.
 
This excessive grooming also known as psychogenic alopecia. It is a behavioral reaction to stress. The condition is similar to that of humans who bite their fingernails too low-its an unconscious habit. Your veterinarian should eliminate medical causes for excessive grooming such as fleas, allergies, or bacterial or fungal infections before he or she can diagnose psychogenic alopecia.  
 
Behavior problems related to grooming may be the result of separation anxiety, addition of a new pet or member of the household, or a lack of exercise and attention, among others. Inadequate brushing or combing may result in formation of mats and tangles in the haircoat. These cause discomfort and predispose to skin problems. Regardless of how excessive grooming begins, it may persist long after the initial cause has disappeared.
 

Other Causes That May Confuse With Cat Excessive Grooming

Medical conditions that can be confused with psychogenic alopecia and must be ruled out before the diagnosis can be confirmed. These are:
 
Skin parasites (mites, fleas) might cause excessive irritation and thus overgrooming. For those familiar with psychogenic alopecia, the appearance is fairly typical, and parasites are fairly easy to detect, but confusion is possible in some cases unless a careful inspection is made. Skin scrapings may be needed.
 
Fungal infections of the skin. Skin scrapings and fungal culture should be performed. A trichogram [microscopic inspection of shed and purposely depilated hairs] can be helpful. With psychogenic alopecia it is common to find broken, barbered hair shafts rather than intact hairs with the root attached.
 
Hormonal conditions can be ruled out by means of appropriate blood work.

Allergies can produce a similar pattern of baldness and their possible contribution should be carefully considered. Sometimes the irritation caused by allergies can focus an anxious cat on self-grooming so that the two conditions become intertwined. A simple rule to remember to assist in diagnosis is that allergies respond to treatment with corticosteroids whereas OCD does not.
 
 

Cat Excessive Grooming Lead To Many Problems

Cats who overgroom tend to vomit more hairballs than average cats due to the ingestion of extra hair. Some cats overgroom because they are bored or want to attract their owners attention.
   
If your cat grooms excessively but doesn't create bald patches or more extensive lesions, try to interrupt the behavior and engage her in another activity such as petting or play.
 
 
Behavior that allows immediate release of anxiety tends to be repeated, becoming an enduring and persistent pattern. The excessive grooming may resolve temporarily, only to re-emerge in times of stress. It may be performed in your absence. You may unknowingly encourage excessive grooming by paying attention to your pet's self-mutilation.
 

Sign & Symptom of Cat Excessive Grooming

 
An anxious, nervous, perhaps overly attached cat in a seemingly stressful environment.
 
Baldness across the abdomen and inside the limbs.
 
Usually no obvious skin lesions, no ectoparasites, no medical explanation for the problem, no response to corticosteroid treatment.
 
Owner-reported excessive self-grooming – perhaps induced by obvious stress. Stressors for cats include other cats in the house, people who the cat doesn't like but is forced to tolerate, outside cats, wild animals, and separation distress.
 
Oriental breed, most likely, or history of improper socialization/early abuse/neglect.
 

Cat Excessive Grooming Treatment

 
Eliminate environmental stressors, if at all feasible. Separate feuding cats and gradually reintroduce them under pleasant circumstances. Countercondition to strangers and all incumbents using food treats/meal feeding
 
Enrich the cat's environment. Moving toys, food puzzles, climbing frames, a room with a view, window bird feeders, fish tanks, pet rats or mice, white noise, exercise, quality time and interactions with the owner.
 
If bald areas or sores exist, the temporary use of an Elizabethan collar, a lampshade-like protective collar that prevents the cat from grooming or chewing on herself, can help to break the behavior problem and gives the skin time to heal. Bad-tasting topical sprays are also useful for discouraging the constant licking.
 
Antihistamines, herbal calming remedies, and antianxiety medications can all be used to break the cycle and calm your cat. See your veterinarian for a recommendation specific to your cat.
 
Pharmacological treatment designed to stabilize mood, reduce anxiety and reduce compulsive behavior. The most useful drugs are the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft).
 
They take a while to work, 3-6 weeks normally, may take as much as 4 months to reach their peak effect, and are usually necessary long term (at least one year). Side effects are uncommon if the dose is titrated properly and are usually transient. The most common side effects are drowsiness, reduced appetite and (paradoxically) increased anxiety.
 
Not all cats with psychogenic alopecia respond to SSRIs. For those that don't, the anxiety-reducing drug buspirone (Buspar) may be tried. It takes at least two weeks for the effects of buspirone to be seen. Side effects of buspirone are uncommon but include increased affection, increased playfulness, occasionally hyperactivity 30-40 minutes post-pilling, and occasional spats of aggression between formerly non-aggressive cats.
 
Consult your veterinarian at the earliest sign of any grooming problem. A referral to a veterinarian specializing in pet behavior problems can help curtail a problem before it becomes firmly established


Related Articles :
·  Cats Grooming : Train Your Cats To Be Groomed 
·  Grooming Longhaired and shorthaired cats
·  Cat Self Grooming and Grooming Each Other 
 

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