July 5, 2009

Dear Obie,
Last night, all of my neighbors were shooting off fireworks and fire-crackers, and the loud booms and pops scared me. I spent most of the night hiding beneath the bed. Is it wrong of me to be scared of loud noises?
Signed, Sam
Ivins, Utah


Dear Sam,
There is absolutely nothing wrong with being frightened of loud noises, and there is nothing wrong with hiding beneath the bed. Many humans forget that animals, especially cats and dogs, have super-sensitive hearing, and what sounds like only a small bang to them can make our heads hurt! The Fourth of July is a fantastic holiday, and means a lot to people in America, but to pets it can be a scary day and can cause a lot of stress. I have even known some cats and dogs who have had to be medicated around Independence Day for just that reason.

Sam, the holiday is over and you can come out from beneath the bed!
Your friend,
Obie

*****

Dear Obie,
I am a Siamese cat; not a thoroughbred, but still beautiful in my own right! I am eleven years old, and I live with my humans in Monmouth, Oregon. We recently moved to Monmouth from St. Louis, Missouri, and ever since we have arrived here I have been pulling out my fur with my teeth. My humans brush me every day, but nothing seems to help. They don't mind picking up the piles of fur that I leave around the house, but they are worried about me. Am I a psycho kitty?
Signed, Niles
Monmouth, Oregon


Dear Niles,
I do not believe that you are a psycho kitty, but there is obviously something going on that needs to be addressed. I am guessing that your recent move is playing a significant role in your "over-grooming," but let's look at all possibilities.

There are four basic reasons why the majority of cats over-groom, and those four are skin allergies, urinary discomfort, parasites and stress. A visit to your vet can help rule out such possibilities as urinary problems, skin allergies, or parasites, and if those do exist there are medications and topical ointments that can help.

One type of skin allergy is a result of an allergic reaction to food. Even when a kitty has been eating the same food for years, its body can develop an allergy to that food. My big brother, Rockafeller, ate the same food for ten years, then suddenly developed an allergy to it! Changing foods will often cure this problem, and most veterinarians recommend changing to a food that has only one basic protein. If kitty responds well to that food, and that one protein, you can begin reintroducing other proteins to its diet.

But, after reading your letter, I am leaning toward stress being the cause for your condition. Moving to a new house in a new city can be very stressful for cats. We are creatures of habit. We like our litter box to stay in the same place, our couch to never move, our view out of the window to remain constant. We like familiar sights and familiar smells. When all of those things suddenly change, we get stressed. And when we get stressed, we over-groom. The medical terminology for this condition is called "psychogenic alopecia." It is kind of like OCD for cats.

When your cat tries to jump onto a counter or the back of a chair and misses its landing, the cat will pause and groom itself. This is our way of getting back in tune with the situation, and comforting ourselves. Over-grooming is a manifestation of this natural habit. In extreme cases, vets will recommend medication to calm the cat. However, if the over-grooming is not causing skin irritations or problems like constipation or excessive hairballs, most vets will advise humans to provide as stress-free an environment as they can as an alternative to medication.

Whatever happens, Niles, see your vet as soon as you can, and feel good knowing you're not a psycho kitty!
Your friend,
Obie

*****

"Never trust people who dislike cats!"
-Irish Proverb

*****

Now that summer has fully arrived, please visit the Salem Friends of Felines thrift store on Commercial Drive for a great selection of shorts and T-shirts, as well as other fun items to make the summer of 2009 a great one. And while you're there, stop in and visit with the kitties for a while. Socializing with the kitties helps calm them and helps them become used to human interaction, thereby increasing their chances of being adopted into forever homes!

And, please visit my human's website at www.donamiet.com!

*****

I am a cat. I am not a vet. Always talk to your vet before making medical decisions for your cat! Thank you!