Over grooming front legs

[loveisagirlnameddaisy]

Cat is 6 years old, started over grooming about a year ago, not clear why. Have tried Feliway and other advice for nervousness, no fleas. Just affecting inside of legs, nowhere else.

Vet didn't have much advice at check up a couple of months ago. It's now quite bad on inside of leg, see photo. Do you think I should bandage it or something else to try and break the cycle?

Whats that patch of sore skin on the leg, has the vet seen that.mthat could be irritating kitty.

I think she's caused the sore patch by constantly licking at the skin. Haven't taken to vet yet, only really noticed it in the last couple of days.

I think @msollie is the resident expert on over grooming

We had this with our girls entire back end when next door terrfied her by climbing my fence (thanks dick head) and it looked very similar

She had a steriod injection which broke the cycle. If that didnt work, vet said prozac!

Ours over grooms when he's anxious but that's sore spot needs to be checked out by a vet before it gets infected.

She had an injection when she was seen for her check-up a few weeks ago (can't remember if it was a steroid - think it was) but it hasn't helped.

I think I should just take her in for a check - I am concerned the skin will get infected although I've just examined her and it's not broken skin, just red from the licking. Not sure about bandaging it myself?

One of ours does this, he's done it for years and we've never been able to work out why. Almost exactly the same spot as yours. If we notice it quickly enough we can put a cone on him for a few days and it breaks the cycle and allows the fur to grow back.

Once they've over-groomed to the point of breaking the skin they do need some cream or ABs from the vet as it will get infected.

Just to add, as you asked about bandaging - we've never been able to get any sort of bandage or cover on the leg itself to stay put - he'll just spend all his time fussing at it until it comes off. I'm not sure whether or not it does the sore skin any good to be covered over.