I know how frustated you feel -- incesscent scratching, licking or hairpulling is difficult to deal with. You can first try bathing your cat in medicated shampoo such as Goodwinol Rotenone or Microtek Shampoo both of which can be purchased at revivalanimal.com. They contain ingredients that will kill many bacterial infections as well as body mites. The Microtek will help if the problem is fungal. Use the Microtek spray as well as the shampoo to help get the problem under control. If your cat refuses to let you bath him, getting the spray product will help soothe his skin and may lead to a successful outcome on it's own. There are several reasons that cats lick, scratch excessively or pull out their fur. Sometimes it's a behavioral thing but many times it's due to problems such as fleas, ringworm, allergies, immune system problems and bacterial infections.
Even if you never see fleas, you can't necessarily assume that they are not present on a cat that has skin problem. Cats are extremely good at removing fleas from their body and cats that are allergic to fleas are usually even better than other cats. So it is almost always best to use a product like Frontline, Revolution or Advantage that will kill fleas. These products also kill some of the types of mange mites that affect cats, so they help if that is a problem, too. If you aren't using one of the above medications, you might consider trying them.
If using a flea control product does not solve the skin problem, then please have your vet examine your cat and determine if one of the other skin diseases is present. This can take several visits since the conditions look very much alike and it is easy to believe that one problem is present and decide to treat for it rather than do a lot of testing. If the treatment doesn't work, then testing becomes much more important.
Behavioral licking, scratching or hair pulling is usually a diagnosis that is made after other causes have been ruled out and the problem still persists. There are medications that help many cats with this type of problem and sometimes changes in the cat's lifestyle can help. I really think that behavioral problems should be considered but I also think it is important to eliminate most other causes before relying on this diagnosis.
I honestly think it would be best to get Frontline, Revolution or Advantage, if you are not already using one of these products. If they do not produce a lot of improvement in two to three weeks, then it would be best to have your vet examine your kitty and start the process of diagnosing his problem. In the meantime, some cats respond favorably to antihistamines. Chlortrimeton 4mg, 1/2 tablet twice a day is an OK dose for most adult cats but it would be best to ask your vet to help you determine the dosage specifically for your boyl if you want to try antihistamines. They seem to help some cats even when the problem seems to be psychological.
If this is not a physical condition, it is sometimes helpful to do things like grooming or games which distract your cat. There are several anti-anxiety medications which can be helpful and it is often possible to use them for a relatively short period of time then wean the cat off the medications. Sometimes, just breaking the habitual cycle of licking and scratching helps immensely.
Please let me know if this helps you and your baby-
Please Press ACCEPT if my answer helped solve your problem.
Lori McLaughlin
Your veterinarian should ALWAYS be consulted first and foremost when your pet's welfare is at stake.