undineswave
November 9th, 2001, 06:58 PM
Hello everyone! I've just joined the forum, so please bear with me if I'm asking or describing a question or problem that's "old hat" to non-newbies! I went through a good deal of previous threads, but couldn't find any that handled our cats' specific condition.
First, a little background info--so again, please bear with me. I have 2 cats--a 12 year old Abyssinian and a 2 year old domestic shorthair. I moved from Ohio to Florida just over a year ago to be with my fiancee, who has 2 cats as well--2 five year old domestic shorthairs. All four cats had their spats in the beginning, but all of them are now relatively well-adjusted to their new surroundings and fellow litterbox-mates.
Our problem is, one of my fiancee's cats developed what we call a "lick spot" about six months ago. It began when we noticed that Sterling would obsessively lick anything--himself, another cat, our hands, or simply the air, occasionally ever biting what was able to be bit in his path whenever he was petted along either side of his tailbone.
At first the "lick spot" was an oddity, but then we began to notice that Sterling had begun to lose hair in the two affected areas. He never appeared to try and lick or bother at the actual areas themselves when they were inspected, but instead continued to obsessively lick whatever was closest at the time. We have never noticed any overt scabs over the areas, though at one point they were scaly, a little dry and slightly red. The irritation responded to a moisturising salve, but the hair loss remains, and in addition, the "lick spot" not only remains, but has begun to spread to other areas of Sterling's body.
To top it all off, my fiancee's 2nd cat, Griffin, has begun to develop a "lick spot" and dry patches in the same area, and while my own 2 cats haven't had any noticeable patches, one of them has developed the initial "lick spot" reaction of licking things when the area is touched.
Has anyone else experienced anything like this before? We haven't changed our cats' diet at all, they've never been diagnosed with allergies, have always been healthy, and as far as we know, none of them has come into contact with any pests or parasites that they wouldn't have prior to their coming into contact with the others.
Any thoughts, ideas or information would be very helpful, and would be welcome and more than appreciated!
Thanks Very Much!
Lia
First, a little background info--so again, please bear with me. I have 2 cats--a 12 year old Abyssinian and a 2 year old domestic shorthair. I moved from Ohio to Florida just over a year ago to be with my fiancee, who has 2 cats as well--2 five year old domestic shorthairs. All four cats had their spats in the beginning, but all of them are now relatively well-adjusted to their new surroundings and fellow litterbox-mates.
Our problem is, one of my fiancee's cats developed what we call a "lick spot" about six months ago. It began when we noticed that Sterling would obsessively lick anything--himself, another cat, our hands, or simply the air, occasionally ever biting what was able to be bit in his path whenever he was petted along either side of his tailbone.
At first the "lick spot" was an oddity, but then we began to notice that Sterling had begun to lose hair in the two affected areas. He never appeared to try and lick or bother at the actual areas themselves when they were inspected, but instead continued to obsessively lick whatever was closest at the time. We have never noticed any overt scabs over the areas, though at one point they were scaly, a little dry and slightly red. The irritation responded to a moisturising salve, but the hair loss remains, and in addition, the "lick spot" not only remains, but has begun to spread to other areas of Sterling's body.
To top it all off, my fiancee's 2nd cat, Griffin, has begun to develop a "lick spot" and dry patches in the same area, and while my own 2 cats haven't had any noticeable patches, one of them has developed the initial "lick spot" reaction of licking things when the area is touched.
Has anyone else experienced anything like this before? We haven't changed our cats' diet at all, they've never been diagnosed with allergies, have always been healthy, and as far as we know, none of them has come into contact with any pests or parasites that they wouldn't have prior to their coming into contact with the others.
Any thoughts, ideas or information would be very helpful, and would be welcome and more than appreciated!
Thanks Very Much!
Lia