Cat Licking Off Fur: 10 Causes Named by Vet
Here’s what a veterinarian, not layperson in a forum, says about what might be causing your cat to lick off its fur.
Does your cat frequently lick off its fur, sometimes even in patches?
I asked this question to Jean Hofve, DVM, who has 20+ years’ experience in both conventional and alternative veterinary medicine, and author of the eBook, “What Cats Should Eat.”
Dr. Hofve names 10 situations that could cause a cat to lick at its fur. They are as follows:
– Fleas/fleabite allergy
– Mites (scabies, Cheyletiella, Demodex)
– Ringworm
– Endocrine disease (Cushing’s disease, other hormonal disturbances)
– Contact dermatitis (allergy to bedding, detergent, etc.)
– Food allergy
– Atopy (inhalant allergy)
– Diet (fatty acid deficiency)
– Pain
– Behavioral: anxiety, stress, OCD
As you can see, a few of these causes of excessive fur licking in a cat have sub-causes.
Solutions for a Cat that Keeps Licking off Its Fur
Dr. Hofve explains that “for parasites and medical conditions, treat the cause. Note that scabies, mites and ringworm are highly contagious to other pets and humans.
“For diet, give supplemental fatty acids (EPA, DHA, evening primrose oil).
“For psychogenic causes, environmental enrichment, flower essences, homeopathy, calming herbs, drug therapy (Prozac, etc.).”
Now retired from veterinary medicine, Dr. Hofve has researched pet nutrition and the pet food industry since the early 1990s. She has written dozens of articles and has been interviewed for print, radio and television around the world. She is author of the eBook, “What Cats Should Eat.”
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Phoenixns
Cat Drags Butt on Floor after Pooping: Causes & Solutions
A veterinarian explains the many causes, and solutions behind why a cat drags its butt on the floor after pooping.
It’s not uncommon for a cat to drag its butt across a floor after having a bowel movement.
Cat Drags Butt on Floor after Pooping: Causes
“There are a surprising number and variety of reasons for this behavior, which we vets technically refer to as scooting,” begins Jean Hofve, DVM, who has 20+ years’ experience in both conventional and alternative veterinary medicine, and author of the eBook, “What Cats Should Eat.”
“Potential causes, from more to less common (depending on who you ask), include:
– Anal sac inflammation, infection or impaction
– Diarrhea
– Fleabite allergy
– Food allergy
– Atopy (inhalant allergy)
– Environmental allergy
– Pyoderma (bacterial skin infection)
– Yeast infection
– Tapeworms/coccidian/pinworms/other intestinal parasites
– Changes in gut flora (may occur after antibiotic treatment)
– Obesity (cat too fat to clean itself, leading to urine scald and skin irritation)
– Urethritis or vaginitis
– Vaginal hairball or foreign body
– Urinary tract infection
– Proctitis (inflammation of the anus/rectum)
– Inflammatory bowel disease
– Constipation
– Ringworm (a fungal skin infection)
So, though a few of these causes probably made you scrunch your face, the good news is that cancer is not among them.
It goes without saying — if your cat is scooting its butt across the floor, it really would be a smart idea to take your pet to the veterinarian.
Don’t take the chance that the butt dragging is being caused by something as very benign as constipation as opposed to a tapeworm infiltration.
If your cat is fat, don’t assume that this is the only reason for the dragging.
It’s always possible that dragging the butt across the floor can have more than one cause. Only a veterinarian can make this determination.
Now retired from veterinary medicine, Dr. Hofve has researched pet nutrition and the pet food industry since the early 1990s. She has written dozens of articles and has been interviewed for print, radio and television around the world. She is author of the eBook, “What Cats Should Eat.”
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Is Cancer Why Your Cat’s Vomit Is White & Foamy?
A veterinarian reveals if cancer could cause a cat’s vomit to be white and foaming.
If your cat has been retching a foamy white substance lately, perhaps you’ve wondered if this could mean cancer.
But there are actually many non-cancer causes of white, frothy vomitus, including overeating and, interestingly, not eating enough.
“Unfortunately, any one of about a zillion things” could be responsible, begins Jean Hofve, DVM, who has 20+ years’ experience in both conventional and alternative veterinary medicine, and author of the eBook, “What Cats Should Eat.”
Dr. Hofve continues, “There are more differentials (potential causes) for vomiting than for just about any other symptom, especially in cats!”
Cancer
“There are hundreds of causes [of specifically a foamy white caliber to the vomitus], and yes, cancer CAN be one of them,” explains Dr. Hofve.
“Cancer, IBD, neurological problems, etc., in the early stages can in fact produce mild, intermittent symptoms, like white foamy vomit.”
She adds, “What’s in the vomit depends on what’s in the stomach, and that can be anything from a pile of food to a little bit of foam.”
Before you jump to the conclusion that your cat’s second day of upchucking a sudsy-looking substance means your pet has cancer, there are other considerations to take note of.
Dr. Hofve notes that “if other symptoms arise, or, if it gets worse (more frequent, more severe, etc.), then the chances of serious disease go up.
If the cat hasn’t eaten lately, then the vomit will be only foam, regardless of the cause of the vomiting.
“The key is really that a mild bout of vomiting, by itself, isn’t an issue. If it’s cancer, it will eventually get worse.
“The important thing to know is that occasional, minor instances of vomiting are not usually significant as long as the cat is acting normal (no changes in eating, drinking, peeing, pooping or behavior).
“One thing I see frequently is a cat vomiting clear foamy mucus after eating grass. It may take a few tries to get out the grass itself. The same thing often happens with hairballs: multiple efforts that produce only foam, before the piece de resistance is finally ejected.”
When should you take your cat to the vet?
Dr. Hofve says, “If the vomiting persists; becomes more frequent; changes character; or additional symptoms (poor appetite, lethargy, fever, diarrhea, etc.) develop then it’s time to visit the vet.”
Other Medical Conditions that Can Cause a Cat to Throw up White Foam
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); inflammation of the small intestine; and disease of the liver, thyroid and kidney.
But if your cat has one of these conditions, chances are pretty good that there will be other symptoms like diarrhea and lethargy.
And more specifically, cancer of the GI tract and brain can result in a cat vomiting up some white foam.
Now retired from veterinary medicine, Dr. Hofve has researched pet nutrition and the pet food industry since the early 1990s. She has written dozens of articles and has been interviewed for print, radio and television around the world. She is author of the eBook, “What Cats Should Eat.”
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Formula for How Much Your Cat Should Urinate Daily
A vet provides easy way to figure out how much your cat should urinate every day.
“The normal water intake for an adult cat is 45 ml (about 1-1/2 oz) per kg (2.2 lbs.) of body weight per day,” begins Jean Hofve, DVM, who has 20+ years’ experience in both conventional and alternative veterinary medicine, and author of the eBook, “What Cats Should Eat.”
She continues, “A 10-lb. cat is about 4.5 kg, which translates to 202 ml, or about 7 oz per day (a little less than a cup).
“They will urinate out a little over half of that, 28 ml (1 oz), per kg per 24 hours. (Note: kittens are far more variable, and much more susceptible to dehydration.).”
Other Variables Affecting How Much a Cat Urinates in a Day
Dr. Hofve explains, “A cat may drink more during hot weather or after exertion, but the amount of urine may actually decrease, because the body keeps more of that water.
“Normal feline kidneys have an amazing ability to regulate urine concentration to maintain fluid balance in the body.
“Most cats will urinate 2 to 4 times per day. The key is to figure out what is normal for your cat, and watch for changes.
“An increase in number or frequency of urinations, especially with reduced volume, may indicate bladder inflammation (FLUTD), crystals or stones.
“An increase in number of urinations with the same or increased volume can signal issues including diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, thyroid disease, and many other metabolic problems.”
Behavior Can Affect Urination Frequency in a Cat
A cat may urinate outside the litterbox due to anxiety or territorial marking.
Stressful situations, such as changes in the household, new pets or altered routines can trigger anxiety-related urination.
This behavior is often a response to feeling unsettled or threatened.
Additionally, cats may mark their territory by urinating in various areas to assert dominance or claim their space, particularly if they perceive other animals or environmental changes as a challenge to their territory.
These behavior issues, though, are about when and where the urine is deposited, and even frequency—but not the volume.
Dr. Hofve says “the amount of urine produced per day does not change very much.”
Now retired from veterinary medicine, Dr. Hofve has researched pet nutrition and the pet food industry since the early 1990s. She has written dozens of articles and has been interviewed for print, radio and television around the world. She is author of the eBook, “What Cats Should Eat.”
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Afraid the Vet will Hold Your Cat if You Can’t Pay Bill?
Here’s what a DVM says about vets holding cats when the owners can’t pay the bill.
“It is legal to hold the animal in some states, not legal in most others,” begins Jean Hofve, DVM, who has 20+ years’ experience in both conventional and alternative veterinary medicine, and author of the eBook, “What Cats Should Eat.”
Dr. Hofve continues, “But even if it is legal to hold the animal, a veterinarian would be very unlikely to do so, because the cat would continue to take up space, staff time, food, medications, etc., and in most cases has zero sale value.”
If your cat is sick or injured, worry first about your pet’s health and bring the cat to see your veterinarian—even if you fear you won’t be able to pay the bill.
“However, failing to pay for services after the vet has examined and treated your cat is considered theft of services,” says Dr. Hofve, “which would be a police matter.
“Do NOT take a pet in if you do not intend to pay! Bouncing or stopping a check may also result in criminal charges.”
There’s a difference between thinking you won’t be able to pay but intending to—prior to bringing in the cat, and intending not to pay as you’re even walking into the vet clinic carrying your sick or injured cat.
If you intend on paying the veterinarian but don’t know how you’ll come up with the money, have hope and just bring in your cat—after you carry out some recommendations by Dr. Hofve:
“It’s best to call the clinic ahead of time to discuss their particular payment requirements and your financial situation, to determine what your options are.
“For example, there may be low-cost services available at a local shelter or humane society; and many clinics maintain a fund to help folks in desperate situations get care for their pets.
See poisonedpets.com/financial-assistance-veterinary-bills for more ideas and resources.”
Of course, if your cat is suddenly injured, you may not have time to make phone calls first and instead will need to rush your pet over to the vet clinic as soon as possible.
But what if you’re totally broke, and your cat is hit by a car or attacked by a dog yet still alive? Or what if you happen upon an injured cat that’s not yours, and you have no money but want to get the animal immediate treatment?
Here’s encouraging information for cat lovers who find themselves in this predicament.
Now retired from veterinary medicine, Dr. Hofve has researched pet nutrition and the pet food industry since the early 1990s. She has written dozens of articles and has been interviewed for print, radio and television around the world. She is author of the eBook, “What Cats Should Eat.”
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Shutterstock/Phoenixns
Why Bladder Infection in Elderly Causes Dementia Symptoms
A doctor explains why a urinary tract infection mimics Alzheimer’s dementia in elderly people.
As odd as it is, it’s true: A urinary tract infection (UTI), also known as a bladder infection, will often produce cognitive dysfunction in an elderly person—symptoms that resemble dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Usually, the elderly patient does not experience burning or painful urination.
A savvy physician will order a UTI test in an elderly patient who’s been exhibiting new-onset cognitive impairment.
But what is it about a bladder infection that could cause symptoms that mimic dementia?
“We know that any patient who is medically compromised [such as with Alzheimer’s disease], can get worsening symptoms with an infection anywhere in the body, including a bladder infection,” says Kenneth Peters, MD, chief of urology for Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI. “This includes patients with underlying dementia and other neurologic disorders such as multiple sclerosis.
“The exact mechanism of action is unknown, but if the infection causes fever, this is a systemic reaction that may have a transient effect on the patient’s underlying symptoms.”
What if a seemingly cognitively intact elderly person exhibits sudden-onset signs of cognitive impairment, and it’s found that this person has a urinary tract infection—and after the infection clears up, the “confusion” and “memory problems” also go away?
Does this mean that this elderly individual actually has a very early process of cognitive decline—something that falls below the radar of family members and friends, who pass off the occasional blips as “just a normal part of aging”?
An elderly person may seem normal and still be well-functioning in the activities of daily living, yet actually score in the mild cognitive range on the SLUMS test. SLUMS stands for Saint Louis University Mental Status.
If a seemingly normal elderly person develops sudden signs of dementia, and it turns out they have a bladder infection, and as it clears up with antibiotics, the mental issues disappear, it’s likely that this person already has a cognitive decline in process that’s too early to grab anyone’s attention.
In fact, many family members think it’s normal for senior citizens to have memory lapses and have some mental fog here and there, not realizing that these symptoms may actually be the start of dementia in that particular person.
Keep in mind that it’s normal to lose some cognitive function with advancing age, and this includes memory lapses.
But dementia is progressive to the point of disability.
It is NOT normal for an elderly person to put a hairbrush in the refrigerator or forget her daughter’s name.
It would be very wise to have the elderly person, who exhibited dementia symptoms during a bladder infection, to undergo formal cognitive testing.
Dr. Peters, in practice for 30+ years, is board certified by the American Board of Urology. One of his specialties is treating bladder pain.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
The Spreading of ALS Throughout the Body
ALS begins locally and then spreads throughout the body.
Researchers from the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute have made a discovery.
And that is how ALS spreads throughout the body, from cell to cell. The study suggests a way for the spread of ALS to be blocked.
The study was led by Dr. Neil Cashman. He says that by scientists understanding how ALS spreads throughout the body, that a method can be devised to stop this progression.
What did the researchers uncover? The misfolded, non-mutant SOD1 is transmitted from one region to the next in the patient’s nervous system.
This would explain the progressive nature of this fatal motor neuron disease.
Another revelation from the study is that the progression can be halted with antibodies.
In the investigation, antibodies were created to bind to regions of SOD1 that were exposed when it became misfolded.
However, there is no confirmation that ALS is caused by the non-mutant SOD1 misfolding.
But this particular cause is a suspect, and if it indeed is the cause, the researchers say that the antibodies could stop the spread of ALS in the body.
What is SOD1? It’s a protein. Previous research has shown that a mutant SOD1 is associated with the neurodegenerative disease.
The mutant version causes the shape of other proteins to misfold.
These misfolded proteins build up, and it is this accumulation that is highly suspect in the progressive degeneration of the nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain seen in patients with ALS.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/KITTIPONG SOMKLANG
Source: sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140218114305.htm
Fluttering Feeling in Lower Stomach: Causes of “Butterflies”
Ever wonder exactly what IS going on inside the lower part of your stomach that causes the “butterfly” or fluttery feeling when you’re feeling anxiety or fear?
“A fluttering sensation in the lower abdomen is most likely caused by muscle contractions of the large intestine (colon),” says David D. Clarke, MD, President, Psychophysiologic Disorders Association (stressillness.com), Clinical Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology Emeritus, Oregon Health & Science University, and author of “They Can’t Find Anything Wrong.”
Dr. Clarke adds, “This may result from colon contractions that are more forceful and/or more rapid than usual, which can result from stress or conditions that cause constipation or diarrhea.”
The colon is actually a muscle, but not the skeletal type that we use for movement.
Anxiety, whether acute or chronic, but especially acute, can cause a big wave of fluttering sensations in the lower stomach.
The fluttering is sometimes referred to as “butterflies” and is often attributed to the release of the hormone adrenaline.
But it’s not adrenaline swirling around in the lower abdomen that’s causing these uncomfortable sensations. It’s the contractions from the colon.
Since 1983 Dr. Clarke has successfully cared for over 7,000 patients with stress illness.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Twinsterphoto
Chest & Left Arm Pain from Anxiety: Doctor Explains
Here is what a medical doctor says about anxiety causing both chest and left arm pain.
Dr. David D. Clarke, MD, is president of the Psychophysiologic Disorders Association which aims to educate people that so many physical symptoms are rooted in mental stress and anxiety.
Dr. Clarke is also Clinical Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology Emeritus, Oregon Health & Science University.
You’re probably already well-aware that chest pain can be caused by stress or anxiety in someone with a healthy heart (the chest discomfort is non-cardiac, e.g., acid reflux).
But is it possible for anxiety to cause pain in the chest and left arm — at the same time – in someone with a healthy heart?
Dr. Clarke explains, “Acute or chronic anxiety can be associated with a variety of physical symptoms including discomfort in the chest.
“I have never encountered a patient who had anxiety-related pain in both the chest and the left arm simultaneously.
“This combination is more often associated with poor circulation to the heart muscle, i.e., angina or heart attack.”
I know this is not what you wanted to read if you’ve been experiencing simultaneous chest pain and left arm pain.
Now bear in mind that anxiety or stress can trigger angina.
However, angina is a cardiac situation—the result of inadequate blood flow in the heart.
So even though a moment of acute anxiety could set this off, this doesn’t mean the situation is “all in your head.”
An episode of angina could also include shortness of breath and left arm pain, even jaw and back pain.
In fact, angina, though stereotyped by images of people clutching their chest, can also include dizziness, sweating and nausea.
And yes, angina can be triggered by anxiety or angst, and can present as just the two symptoms of chest and left arm pain.
But if your heart is healthy…why would stress cause a pain in your left arm?
Think about that for a moment. It’s not surprising that of Dr. Clarke’s 7,000 stress-illness patients, he’s never encountered one with a simultaneous presentation of chest and left arm pain in the presence of a healthy heart.
Angina means there’s a problem with the coronary arteries, and there are treatments for this. Do NOT ignore these symptoms!
Tests by a cardiologist would begin with an EKG and cardiac stress test.
However, if you go to an emergency room with complaints of pain in the chest and left arm, you will immediately have an EKG done, blood tests to see if you had or are having a heart attack or have a blood clot in a lung, and a chest X-ray.
Anxiety, of course, is often the cause of a single symptom: chest pain.
Dr. Clarke explains, “The mechanism that produces physical symptoms in anxiety is not completely understood.
“But possible explanations include altered processing by the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) of sensory signals from the chest and contraction of muscles in the chest caused by signals traveling from brain to muscle via the sympathetic nervous system.”
Since 1983 Dr. Clarke has successfully cared for over 7,000 patients with stress illness.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/OSTILL is Franck Camhi
Can You Get Diarrhea Every Day from Stress?
You can have diarrhea every day from stress, says a GI doctor.
“Diarrhea results from a normal amount of feces mixed with a greater than normal amount of water,” begins David D. Clarke, MD, President, Psychophysiologic Disorders Association, and Clinical Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology Emeritus, Oregon Health & Science University, Faculty Associate, Arizona State University.
Dr. Clarke continues, “When a person is experiencing stress-related diarrhea, the most likely cause is an increase in the propulsive muscle contractions of the large intestine (colon).”
The colon is actually a muscle, which is why it contracts (though it’s not the same type of muscle that enables you to move, which is skeletal muscle).
Dr. Clarke further explains that the increase in the colon’s propulsive contractions “decreases the amount of time that the colon can absorb water from the feces.
“It is possible for this to continue for as long as the stress is present. This could be for weeks, months or even years.
“In people who suffer this condition for very long periods, the stress is often not fully recognized and often can be linked to adversity in childhood.
“Other causes of diarrhea that can persist for more than two weeks include losing the ability to digest milk sugar (lactose), intolerance of certain foods or medicines that you ingest daily, diseases that result in loss of the ability to absorb nutrients from the small intestine (such as sprue/celiac disease), inflammatory bowel diseases and chronic parasite infection.”
Do you have new-onset diarrhea every day and it seems to have coincided with new-onset stress? This happened to me.
The stress was enormous, and suddenly, I began having diarrhea — not just daily but multiple times a day and even overnight.
And it looked funny, not like the usual diarrhea I’d had in my life.
As I was being prepped for a colonoscopy to find out what was going on, the nurse said that indeed, stress could be a cause, and that he himself had had stress diarrhea every day for three weeks as a result of his divorce.
The colonoscopy revealed that I had microscopic colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, and to this day, I believe that the anxiety in my life had triggered it (though if you don’t have the gene for this benign condition, you can’t get it).
