Cat licking himself bald

[BuffyFairy]

My cat was attacked by another cat a few months ago and started fussing at the scratch which then got infected. The vet gave him a steroid injection, steroid cream and antibiotics. This cleared the infection but he hasn't stopped licking.

The bald patch grew. We took him back to the vets. He said there was no infection but that my cat was no in the habit of over grooming. Another injection and more cream (which he just licks off). He also gave us a cat collar but that lasted all of 2 mins and would only make him miserable.

Now the bald patch is all the way down his back and he's started on his tail. He pulls clumps of hair out.

I should add that the hair sometimes grows back so he obviously stops for a while but at the moment it's the worst I've seen it.

I'm not happy that 'it's just habit'. Surely something must be causing it.

Help!

He might still be feeling very stressed from being attacked, if it's not a physical problem. Buy him a Feliway diffuser; it gives out a smell to make him feel calmer and more relaxed.

Ask the vet what he would suggest if this happened out of the blue, without the previous injury. Cats overgroom for other reasons (jury still out on why mine is doing it) - it could be coincidence that it's followed on from the injury.

Our old cat did this, it was due to stress after the dog died. The only thing that helped was the cat equivilent of valium! Goodluck :0)

Another vote for Feliway here too. It's a good stress reliever for anxious cats.

Feliway or similar plug in pheromones (look on the Internet, they are extortionate from the vet) will help.

It sounds like the same problem as a friends of mines cat has.

For that cat it is the feline equivalent of self harming caused by over anxiety. (rescued cat. Even though rescued when a kitten, and with her sister and they have lived in the same house 12 years now she still does it- so while your cat may not be cured, the pheromones will help and she won't die from it).

Our cat has this problem too.

Various vets have said he is allergic to flea bites but we have treated him/sprayed carpets/etc. to no avail. I then thought he might be allergic to his food but having bought every hypoallergenic food he is still over grooming.

Does the Feliway definitely help? He is a rescue cat but I'm not too sure what he could be stressed about. It's just me and DH. We're very quiet and have very few visitors. Only potential stressor is the big black cat down the road...