Pet care: My overgrooming cat has become bald – make it stop!

Q: Ben is our 2-year-old indoor cat. We adopted him when he was 6 months old. We added a second cat three months ago. That was when Ben started overgrooming. He is now almost bald on his sides. Is he stressed?

Dr. Nichol: Ben is certainly stressed. Watch him closely. His skin may occasionally ripple like a horse’s, or he might suddenly lick with intensity or jump up and race out of the room. Often diagnosed with feline hyperesthesia syndrome (FHS), these kitties are frantically trying to jump out of their own skin.

Indoor cats can get seriously agitated. Think house soiling, fighting, hiding, or self-mutilation. Adorning Ben with a cone collar isn’t a real treatment. It would prevent damage to his coat, but, unable to soothe his itch, he’d feel even worse.

Research has shown that only 15% of FHS cases are strictly behavioral. Environmental allergies, now called atopic skin syndrome, are common in cats, but so is occult mange. These are not little witches taking over Ben’s skin but tiny mites, most commonly Demodex gatoi, that live on the surface. Your veterinarian can do skin scrapings to identify them.

That new cat who barged in on Ben’s idyllic life may be a mange carrier, while showing no symptoms. There could also be an element of stress even if the new guy is, well, a pussycat.

Veterinary dermatologist Dr. Rebecca Mount explained that skin scrapings are valuable, but the microscope may show nothing. If demodex is seen, it can be eliminated with a spot-on medication called Bravecto. When it isn’t found, she treats anyway to rule out fleas and other mites. If Ben continues to wreak havoc on his comely appearance, the good doctor advises Atopica, an oral medication, for allergic itching.

There could still be a behavioral component to Ben’s angst. Indoor cats need lives that simulate the thrills, adventure and innate challenges of stalking and killing to survive. Visit my website, drjeffnichol.com, for a full list of feline environmental enrichments. Antianxiety medication for your unhappy little guy may also help.

For help with behavior problems, you can sign up for a Zoom group conference at drjeffnichol.com

• .