Over grooming

[awesomekilick]

my rag doll, 1 year old and who a thing of lustrous beauty, has bare patches on her belly and now I've noticed, I see she is nibbling and "grooming" herself all the time and her fur all over is getting thin and patchy.

She has lived with me since 8 weeks old, in great harmony with my resident cat, who could never be accused of over grooming.

I'm not brilliant at keeping up with flea treatment but I don't think he or she has fleas. I've administered treatment last week and no improvement.

There's a neighbour cat who wanders in daily to eat their food. Neither of my cats appear to give a damn but then
he's much bigger than they are!

Obviously I'll take her to the vets (sigh) but wondered if you litter tray folks might have ideas for why she might be doing this. Is it a "teenage rag doll" thing? They mature late, she has her baby teeth still. Could she be bored with the winter and lack of flies to chase? She goes in and out at will in daytime.

Cat tax photo paid

Is she spayed?
Abdominal over grooming is usually either kitten preparation or anxiety.

Rag dolls aren't the most demonstrative breed. I suspect the neighbour cat is upsetting her more than she's showing, and she's internalising the stress
It's called psychogenic overgrooming

icatcare.org/advice/over-grooming/

She's spayed yep.

Thanks for the link @Veterinari

My cat does this. She’s actually the “easiest” cat I’ve ever had, relaxed and laid back.
The vet tested her urine as it can be caused by a UTI but that was negative, all bloods tests normal so I’m stuck now. I did try some calming powder on their food, Zylkene, but it made no difference.

There's a neighbour cat who wanders in daily to eat their food. Neither of my cats appear to give a damn but then he's much bigger than they are!

This would really concern me - please stop this happening ASAP. Cats are territorial animals and most don't cope very well with strangers coming into their homes and taking their resources.

You're right to take her to the vets - my own cat over-groomed his stomach and in his case it was actually a sign that he had urinary crystals. We didn't think anything of it really until he started peeing outside his tray - I took him in and the vet took a urine sample and that's what it was. The vet thinks the over-grooming was either anxiety/stress (which can lead to cystitis) or pain.

He ended up needing painkillers and antibiotics and is now on a special urinary diet as well as daily cystease and D-Mannose tablets for long-term bladder and urinary health.

Definitely take her for a check up but please stop the strange cat coming inside - it's really, really not fair on your cats to have to deal with an interloper.

My cats recently been doing this and I realised she does have fleas even though she's up to date with her flea treatment!!

Maybe run a flea comb through her fur to double check it's not fleas.

Sounds like fleas.