Cat scratching his head - vet doesn't know why

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Jo - the girl - 22 Jul 2008 08:28 GMT

I have an inside only cat that keeps scratching at his head/face. The
vet says he doesn't see anything obviously wrong - no ear mites or
infection. I thought it might be stress (the other cats in the house
irritate him sometimes) but the vet said if it was stress, the cat
would also be scratching other areas of his body. Is that true?

The vet is thinking it could be a food allergy or something in the
house.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do?

I'm hoping it's not a food allergy because this cat has urinary
problems (oxalate stones) and his kidney levels need to be monitored.
He's on prescription food for the oxalate stones so if he did have a
food allergy, that would be bad.

I can't find anything in the house that could be causing the problem.
The only thing I can think of would be the dust from the cat litter.
But I would think that would cause sneezing rather than head itching.

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Matthew - 22 Jul 2008 09:01 GMT

second vet opinion maybe a depo shot

there are other food brands

>I have an inside only cat that keeps scratching at his head/face. The
> vet says he doesn't see anything obviously wrong - no ear mites or
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> The only thing I can think of would be the dust from the cat litter.
> But I would think that would cause sneezing rather than head itching.

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jmc - 22 Jul 2008 17:14 GMT

Suddenly, without warning, Jo - the girl exclaimed (7/22/2008 3:28 AM):

> I have an inside only cat that keeps scratching at his head/face. The
> vet says he doesn't see anything obviously wrong - no ear mites or
> infection. I thought it might be stress (the other cats in the house
> irritate him sometimes) but the vet said if it was stress, the cat
> would also be scratching other areas of his body. Is that true?

Not necessarily. Stressed cats may pick a particular part of the body
to obsess on. After one move, Meep started fur-mowing just part of her
belly, and the backs of her hind legs, which I thought was quite odd.

She's better now, we did cortocosteroids for a bit, then a course of
amitryptyline, plus she's in a new country - personal opinion is her
problem was a combination of allergies or dry skin, + stress.

jmc

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Judy - 23 Jul 2008 03:54 GMT

>I have an inside only cat that keeps scratching at his head/face. The
> vet says he doesn't see anything obviously wrong - no ear mites or
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do?

Get a second opinion.

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Rhonda - 24 Jul 2008 05:50 GMT

Jo,

One of our cats had head scratching problems, and I'm sorry to say it
was from food allergies. He did some scratching, but it almost seems
like the hair fell out on its own. He had an ever-growing patch on his
cheek of smooth, hairless skin.

The stand-in vet gave him a steroid shot, which was the worst decision
ever. The cat developed diabetes and lost 3 lbs in 3 weeks. It was a
rocky road from then on. Don't get a steroid shot!!!

He survived on IVD limited ingredient food after that. I don't know how
it is for stones, he didn't have that problem.

I agree a second opinion may be in order.

Good luck,

Rhonda

> I have an inside only cat that keeps scratching at his head/face. The
> vet says he doesn't see anything obviously wrong - no ear mites or
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> The only thing I can think of would be the dust from the cat litter.
> But I would think that would cause sneezing rather than head itching.

Reply to this Message