Hi Suzi

It’s Melina, one of the cat behavior specialists at cats.com, based in Australia. I just wanted to add some further information in addition to Dr Wedderburn’s medical feedback.

I’m sorry to hear about your cat’s overgrooming. You mentioned that he is now primarily an indoor cat. If he was previously allowed to go for outdoor walks before the move and is now confined indoors, this change may have caused him some anxiety. Additionally, the packing and preparation for the move could have triggered his overgrooming behavior. As Peter discusses in the article, I suspect that psychogenic alopecia might be the cause of the overgrooming. However, it’s essential to rule out any medical issues first. The bullying from your other cat, the recent move, the change of routine and the shift to being indoors may have exacerbated his anxiety. Hence, he may need assistance regulating his nervous system.

The Feliway diffuser does work. It’s best to plug it into small rooms like a bedroom or office; it’s not as effective in large open spaces. I would also recommend purchasing the Feliway Friends diffuser from your local Animates or Petstock to promote harmony in multi-cat households; it’s not cheap either; https://www.animates.co.nz/feliway-friends-refill-48ml.html

As Dr Wedderburn pointed out, a dietary review would also be beneficial, including adding probiotics to your cat’s diet, which can help balance gut flora and support mental well-being. All should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Over-grooming and self-mutilation can also be a part of Feline Hyperaesthesia Syndrome (FHS). This is a poorly understood condition that manifests in various bizarre behaviors that include skin twitching and sudden bouts of intense grooming and self-mutilation, often of the tail.

If you cannot visit the vet next month and your cat has no existing health issues, you can try calming supplements to support your cat’s nervous system; Zylkene derived from milk protein, is a natural product that helps to manage stress in cats, while Protexin Serenicare is a calming supplement designed to manage stress and anxiety via the gut-brain axis using alpha-casozepine, L-tryptophan, and probiotics.

Since multiple medical and behavioral conditions can cause overgrooming, consulting your veterinarian is the best course of action!

I hope that helps.
Melina

Hi Jean

Great questions, see feedback below:

1. Dementia in Cats and Treatments

Cognitive dysfunction in cats is like dementia in older people. Common behavioral signs include confusion about their location or the time, uncertainty regarding mealtimes, changes in sleeping patterns, toileting outside the litter box, loud crying that can disrupt sleep at night, pacing around the home, and alterations in typical behavior.

Dementia in cats is caused by age-related changes in the brain that lead to the degeneration of nerve cells. Currently, there are no medications specifically for treating feline dementia; however, its effects can be managed through appropriate interventions. These include modifying the home environment, managing diet, reducing stress, and providing nutritional supplements. For more information, visit https://cats.com/dementia-in-cats

2. Diabetes in Senior Cats

Diabetes Mellitus is a condition that occurs when the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t respond to insulin appropriately. This leads to high blood sugar levels and various associated symptoms. Diabetes is prevalent in senior, overweight, and male cats. Symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, increased appetite, and weight loss.

Treatment options depend on the individual cat and the owner’s ability to manage it at home. Options may include insulin injections given twice daily between the shoulder blades or, if appropriate, oral medication. If the cat is overweight, a weight loss plan can help manage their weight and potentially reduce the insulin dosage needed. Maintaining a consistent daily routine, with a strict feeding schedule and a regular activity level, is essential. For more information, please visit https://cats.com/feline-diabetes

All the best
Melina

Professional fees are difficult to comment on, especially on an international website like this. There are so many factors – local costs vary so much, product pricing varies from manufacturer in different countries, some places have sales tax, others don’t, some vets allow vet techs to give the injection (cheaper salaries), others don’t. I think the main lesson is that you should ask for an estimate before agreeing to any work, and you always have the option of phoning around the area to see if you can get a better price. The most effective price control is the open market. In general, however, the fact is that it is very expensive to run a veterinary clinic, with all the overheads, and the finance for those running costs has to come from the work that vets do. This means that in general, veterinary charges can seem higher than you might expect them to be. It’s a difficult aspect of pet ownership.

We added more info about this in the brand review, but yes it can be a little tricky because it’s made as a custom plan for your cats.

Actually, I just dug out a picture of her mother, and she looks more like a golden tabby (could just be the extra contrast on the photo, but I’m pretty sure her colours were more of a golden hue than your standard tabby).

I pushed back and they did refund my money.

Hi Theresa,

We can’t tell you if surgery is the right choice, but if your cat isn’t peeing (or hasn’t peed in about a day), that’s an emergency and she needs to see a vet right away. After she’s safe, the vet can do tests to see what the lump is and help you decide if surgery will help her feel better.

We do out best Chris, we really do… We first write content and then dd affiliate links when the product is mentioned.

Even if it doesn’t look like a lot, that much food can still be too many calories for a big kitty, so ask the vet how much he should weigh and measure his food so he gets a little less each day. To help him move more without tiring you out, use easy games like a treat ball or puzzle feeder, or toss a few pieces of kibble down the hall for him to “hunt.”

I’m going to go ahead and assume you’re asking because you have multiple cats and one is on a prescription diet, and it’s tough to stop the others from sneaking bites. Usually it’s safe for a healthy adult cat to eat some prescription urinary food, but if it’s becoming a regular thing (or the diet is for kidney/diabetes/weight loss), feed separately or use a microchip feeder and check with your vet.