Talk

Flip

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

Sudden obsessive cleaning

7 replies

fuzzywuzzy · 25/02/2016 14:06

I'm getting really really worried. One of our boys is suddenly obsessively cleaning himself, it's like he can't rest at all and keeps scratching his ears and neck.

He's an indoor cat, has been flea'd.

He's eating fine & drink of water as normal uses the litter tray normally as well.

The area around his eyes he's lost the hair as he's cleaning himself so much.

I've tried brushing him so he feels clean but it hasn't worked. He will solidly clean himself for half an hour at a time.

I'm really worried about him (not to mention the increase in hair balls we're having to clear).

Going to take him to vets next weeks if he doesn't stop over the weekend, it started a couple of days ago. No changes to the boys' routines.

Anyone have experience of this please?

OP posts:

Report

thecatneuterer · 25/02/2016 15:04

Ear mites? Stronghold sorts them out, other flea stuff doesn't.

Report

fuzzywuzzy · 25/02/2016 15:15

He doesn't have any bumps or bites in is ears. Would they show?

OP posts:

Report

sugarplumfairy28 · 25/02/2016 17:40

Even though he is an indoor cat try getting him some worming treatment. We currently have a stress related hair loss issue with one of our boys, first things to check are worms, mites and fleas.

Report

fuzzywuzzy · 25/02/2016 17:45

Oh god worms?

Both boys have been flea treated recently.

I think vets then?

His brother is fine.

Dp thinks he could be stressed, but nothing in his routine has changed.

OP posts:

Report

TomTomKitten · 25/02/2016 18:08

Our old cat used to wash himself incessentantly. He was a sensitive boy and went through a short phase of being pretty stressed (when we went away).

I think it was just who he was and he was a sweetheart.

New TomTomKitten cat is a bit of a thug and barely washes...

Report

sugarplumfairy28 · 25/02/2016 18:18

It could be worms, you can get paste or liquid aswell as tablets and it's really easy to treat but I would start there before looking at a stresser.

Our Suru has been pulling his fur out since we lost one of our cats last November, he sat with her in last hours and ever since has been like this. He has good days and bad days, bad days are fairly obvious as he will have been looking for her, or sitting on something only she sat on.

Take him to the vets and make sure all the parasite issues are covered.

Report

fuzzywuzzy · 25/02/2016 18:25

Thanks everyone, I've told dp to get a vets appt, I hate seeing him like this😔

He's normally so cuddly and curls up and sleeps next to me when I'm at home, been off work because I've not been well and he's just constantly cleaning himself.

He doesn't enjoy being stroked around his head either.