Categories

Cats are some of the most popular pet companions. Their lovable nature and their playfulness can fill your life with joy and laughter. But when your precious feline begins to behave in an abnormal way, what can you do? One of the most common cat issues is general itchiness. As a pet owner, you could always take your cat to the veterinarian for a quick checkup, but before you so, here are some ways to help figure out what your cat needs.

Diagnosing the ´Itchies´

Understandably, it can be difficult to tell when your cat is having troubles with itching and when they are simply scratching themselves as a part of their normal routine. The best way to discern between the two is to start to keep track of how many times a day your cat is scratching themselves and for how long they are scratching their skin. To best measure this, you will want to track the behavior of your cat over the course of a week or two. After all, one day of itching probably isn´t something too concerning. If you notice there are certain times of the day when your cat has the itchies, then make a note of this as well. Also, note any changes to diet, litter, or water that might correlate with the itchiness your cat might be having. When you notice links between certain changes in the life of your cat, that might be the best answer to your itch questions. From there, you can begin to adjust the litter, the food, and the water changes back to ´normal´ to see if that relieves your cat´s discomfort.

Looking at the Cat´s Skin

Just like a human, a cat´s skin might become irritated for some reason, leading to the feelings of itchiness. Take some time to look at the skin of your cat to see if there is any redness or a rash that might explain the scratching. Your cat might have fleas or a tick that has taken hold. In these cases, a trip to the vet will be necessary.

When Itching is Serious

There are times, however, when there doesn´t seem to be a correlation between the environment and your cat´s itchies. For example, some cats will scratch themselves and bite at their skin, not because they itch, but because they are anxious. Some cats, in fact, have been known to bite away their fur the more stressed out they become. You might want to think about the temperament of your cat as well as of any negative experiences your cat might be having at the current time. If you´ve been gone for longer periods of time lately or if you have been feeling more stressed than usual, this too might be contributing to the way your cat feels. Take some time to sit with your cat more often to see if more attention might be all he or she needs to feel better. When the itchies last for more than a few weeks despite everything you try, it might be time to see what the vet thinks. In some cases, antidepressants have been shown to help a nervous cat with their scratching, while creams and ointments or even oral medications might also be necessary for physical ailments.