What to do if Your Cat is Overgrooming

Today, I'm discussing the causes of overgrooming and the reasons why you should pay attention if you notice this behavior in your cat.
My home enrichment article that I mentioned in the video is at www.kittyhelpdesk.com/help-de...
I'm Tom Kirby, UW-AAB, LSHC-S and I'm a certified animal behavior consultant who specializes in cats. At Kitty Help Desk, I offer science-based, judgement-free, feline behavior consults.
DISCLAIMER: This video is provided for informational purposes only and should not substitute for a consultation with an animal behavior consultant or a veterinarian.
WEB: kittyhelpdesk.com​​
TWITTER: / kittyhelpdesk​​
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Video content by Tom Kirby, UW-AAB, LSHC-S
Original music by Tom Kirby
Modeling by Miss Lucy and Miss Mina
Please comment responsibly.

[@ambermoon719]

I was depressed for a while and my cat began licking the belly hair off of her lower belly. She’s indoor and has no flees. Now that I’ve been more active and playful and having more indoor fun, she’s been more active and playful and having more indoor fun. She’s really a mirror to my mental health. She still licks her belly hair to self soothe I think, but less and less.

[@baldersn4474]

Wow..Thats interesting..Bless her ❤

[@amygalvin1799]

Many cats love harp music. There are several KZbin videos that play tranquil harp music to soothe cats. My Siamese foster loves it!

[@McDarknezz8]

TES: Oblivion (video game) had some of those, pretty chill

[@Mythicalthebutterfly]

My near 2 year old girl has been licking herself bald since we found her in the mountains. She licks herself raw and bloody in different spots, likes to switch areas a lot. Ive tried cones from plastic to plush, surgical suits, antidepressants, feline hyperthesia medicine, steroids, got her treatment for fleas, possible ringworm, she has tried so many different medications and even tried switching food, engaging in more praise rewards when she takes her attention away from overgrooming. Nothing. She is on amitriptyline now and for a month was doing well but now she licked her leg wide open raw and i had to wrap it up. Im at a loss, she purrs with us and loves to cuddle with us, and cuddles with her feline siblings. At this point i feel like im failing

[@KittyHelpDesk]

I'm sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, all of my best advice for treating this behaviorally is in the video. I do recommend visiting multiple veterinarians because the behavior often indicates an internal problem that the cat's trying to soothe. Sometimes one vet will pick up on things that another won't, or they'll test for things another might not know about. Good luck to you and your feline friend!

[@josie4peace]

Awe, how you thank your cat. 💖 So blessed to have come upon your channel. Thank you. :)

[@lmnopgr]

possibly the kindest, most gentle explanation of kitty cat behavior I have ever seen or heard. Thank you. 🥰

[@KittyHelpDesk]

Thank you for the kind words, and thanks for watching!

[@hero_of_doom115]

I have a black cat here who has way over groomed and still is this video helps but unfortunately I’m unable to bring her to a vet so I hope I can find the right cause thank you

[@josie4peace]

It's a shame you can't take your kitty to the vet. :((( Please try to alleviate all stress for her. 💖 And ALWAYS have fresh water 💦 and food. :)

[@carolpaquette980]

Great guy!

[@DeirdreB-fu1qb]

Oh that's so nice to know about the harp music ☺ I have been playing soft jazz for him when working. And the loop cat videos is a great idea too. We got Elmie a diffuser and it has helped enough for him to cut down on his over grooming his tummy area. Yes he's been to the vet. Thank you for video☺🙏

[@mandyross-kf4rx]

Thanks for your help

[@KittyHelpDesk]

Thanks for watching!

[@murphy1384]

Miss Kitty has plenty of windows & loves to be out on the screened in porch. It's been chilly & we haven't sat out as much but the temps are going up & porch time again. Thanks for the info. Always great videos

[@KittyHelpDesk]

I added a small heater to our catio and it's like a Lucy magnet. If I turn it on, I know where she'll be. :)

[@jmcdaniel0809]

Thanks for the video sir

[@KittyHelpDesk]

Glad I could help!

[@trishcarter7674]

Thankyou for the video. My cat begun overgrooming last year on her belly and back legs. After checking for fleas and internal health issues, our vet was able to narrow down the reason to anxiety which makes sense as it had started the same month my other cat had passed away. Thankfully, my cat is now on anti-depressants and her hair is growing back slowly, and soon she will be no longer flashing guests with her lovely bare belly.

[@josie4peace]

💖

[@indigosue3070]

I'm going to try the harp music on Lucy today!

[@KittyHelpDesk]

There are some good, 6+ hour videos of soft harp music right here on KZbin.

[@bridgetveralidaine3761]

I found myself here because a friend of a friend asked about her cat that was overgrooming and I wanted to see if there was anything I could add to the advice I gave besides "enrichment and vet check". Then I had to laugh at your cat liking harp music, and just had to share that any time I pull out my flute or guitar, my cat gets chatty and comes running, purring and kneading, and head/cheek rubbing, rolling around in my lap or weaving between my legs. I could never discern if she likes it or if she despised it and was trying to change the sound.

[@KittyHelpDesk]

Oh, I'm sure she likes it. When cats dislike sounds, they usually hide or run away from them.

[@naturallycats]

Wow what a wonderful way to be able to bond and connect together :)

[@minaniki5048]

What could cause an outdoor cat to overgroom? We have a kitty that lives in our neighborhood and tends to overgroom her back. She has done it multiple times, sometimes she lets the fur grow back and then continues to overgroom.

[@KittyHelpDesk]

With community cats, parasites are often the cause. If no one is caring for this cat, she may not have any defenses against fleas. Many cats are allergic to particular parasites and the itching can cause them to overgroom in an attempt to get some relief. This is all speculation, of course. The only way the cat will get relief is by seeing a vet. If the cat isn't socialized, they could receive treatment for parasites via their food. Good luck!

[@numberjt1]

Our 4 yr old indoor has begun overgrooming. We haven’t changed her food or treats in years. All grain free. She is particularly focused on her right ear and “thigh”. Now I will say that for about 4 days, we were forced to place her in our bedroom while our apartment was being renovated. The over grooming picked up a bit after that. Any recommendations for a situation like ours? We are taking her to our vet in 2 weeks but was wondering if there is anything we can do now to help alleviate her condition. Ty.

[@KittyHelpDesk]

All the advice I have to give without a detailed consult is included in the video. Lower stress by the way you interact with her, enrich her environment, and see a vet to determine if there's a medical cause. I've never encountered a relationship between overgrooming and food. For enrichment tips see the link I posted in the video description. I hope your feline friend feels better soon!

[@jackyiwi]

I have my cat for little over 3 months now. He had an ear inflection treatment and was in cone for over two weeks. As soon as his cone is taken off, he starts excessive grooming and scratches his elbows and armpit raw. it became a skin inflection and I had to put him back in the cone. He's mellow and chill when he's in the cone, but turns aggressive in grooming himself and ignores everything as soon as his cone is off again. He doesn't jump on the cat tree, doesn't like laying on pillows, and doesn't play with any toy by himself. I am borderline depressed and frustrated.

[@KITN._.8]

Hey! So my cat has arthritis and eye issues as well as being 10. We got her at 9, but she’s been over grooming her back and even biting her back extremely hard to the point of bleeding. We don’t have other pets or kids and she’s aloud outside into my backyard only. Her arthritis is in the back so I’m not surprised it’s there. I’m wondering if maybe it is is something else but if not what can I do more of to help her?

[@KittyHelpDesk]

The first step is to see a qualified vet. If it is arthritis, there's a new treatment that came out this year that can work wonders. It could also be a flea allergy or other skin condition. It doesn't sound behavioral in nature, though. Good luck with your feline friend!

[@princesslupi4136]

My Calico was over weight and was over grooming, we changed her cat food and she's down to a healthy weight and stopped licking her fur to the skin. I think she had food allergies. Thanks for your informative videos. 😺

[@KittyHelpDesk]

Yes, food allergies can often cause itching. I suppose it just depends on the individual cat's response to the itching as to whether or not that makes them overgroom. Miss Mina also has food allergies, but in her case, the result was that she scratched her forehead until it bled. An astute vet suggested changing her food and it worked.

[@lukas2205]

Which food is he she eating?

[@indigosue3070]

I have a soft padded cat collar on Lucy. It helps! She can't reach her belly and she seems calmer when it's on. Amazon!

[@josie4peace]

Interesting. What if Lucy has an itch? Isn't it uncomy for her to have it on 24/7? Especially in warm weather?

[@MiszzMiszz]

sorry to tell you that but it probably stressing your cat even more...

[@mapleblaze12]

How long does it take for a cat who overgrooms to grow back it's fur? I have a cat who recently got diagnosed with environmental allergies and the fur is very slowly growing back, but I am not sure how long it will take to grow back completely...

[@KittyHelpDesk]

It really depends on the cat. Most animal fur grows very slowly.

[@sushipongs]

My black cat is overgrooming and losing her fur under her chin and head , I'll try to make a new toy for them to avoid boredom and I think we need to put some calming music and cat videos to watch hopefully this works.

[@KittyHelpDesk]

Since it's occurring under her chin, you may also want to have your vet check for feline acne. It often happens under the chin.

[@josie4peace]

I hope it's helped your kitty cat 💖

[@shubarasi4726]

Thank you for the information but i do think you need more subscribers 😋

[@KittyHelpDesk]

I couldn't agree more. 😺

[@HopieDopie]

We brought a new kitten 6months old into our home. We have kept them separate for awhile allowing time out with her in a big crate so he could smell her and switched areas with them. They have booped noses and will be around one another without fighting. But I noticed Blue our 4yr old has been over grooming his back leg near his tail. Do I need to start the process over again with the 2 of them. I want them both to be comfortable and happy. He has never had a cat or any animal his whole 4 years.

[@KittyHelpDesk]

It sounds like Blue may be a bit stressed. Also consider that he may have gotten fleas from the kitten. You can find my suggestions for a successful introduction here: www.kittyhelpdesk.com/help-desk/how-to-introduce-a-new-cat

[@HopieDopie]

@@KittyHelpDesk thank you. We are still separating and giving them (mostly Blue lol) their space. I appreciate the feedback and am hopeful 😊.

[@Tstormer]

So my grandma's cat's been extremely jumpy since we adopted him a year and a half ago. He likes to be pet but will jump or flinch of he's pet in a sensitive spot. we can't pick him up and he lives with my grandmother and she certainly can't pick him up but we really need to get him to the vet. He's been licking himself a lot more than previously like before he licked himself every once in awhile after playing a bit he licked himself especially if he seemed to embarrass himself. like he gets scared really easy so like you could shift yourself in a chair and he jump and if he jumped he'd start licking himself and I I really need to get him to the vet . The problem is my grandmother's house is very open floorplan , we do not have any closed doors like all the places that he can fit into and hide in our big bay doors with no closing available. Minus terrorizing him chasing him from room to room I don't know how to capture him to get him to the vet and I need some help.

[@KittyHelpDesk]

There may be in-home vets in your area who will come to you. That's what I do for my cats. Of course, it will still be helpful to get him into a carrier when necessary. Work on stress reduction first. You want to offer your cat choices, not use force to make them do what you want. Even petting should only be done with the cat's permission. Once his stress is lower, you may find it easier to get his cooperation. Leave the carrier out and open with a soft blanket inside so he sees it as a positive thing. Leave some treats inside the carrier each day to reinforce those feelings. If you need more help, feel free to book an appointment with me at www.kittyhelpdesk.com . Good luck!

[@anikavets7919]

My cat over grooms. She's in no pain (took her to the Vet a couple times) and she gets ALOT of attention and nothing stress her. Only time when she doesn't is when she sleeps next to me 😢

[@KittyHelpDesk]

While I don't know enough about the situation to draw conclusions, the fact that she's calmer next to you indicates that something may very well be stressing her. She may not be showing outward signs of stress, but that doesn't mean she's not feeling stressed.

[@mattiexo]

My cat has been licking his skin raw to bloody for a year now only one spot. Many times infected and many times treated. It’s drained all my savings 🤦‍♀️ I’m at the point to putting him down, he’s on steroids but won’t let me feed him whole pills so I put it in tuna and he’s picked up on that too so he now won’t eat the tuna. I can’t keep going on and can’t keep letting him get infections on top of his other chronic health issues, he’s on hills urinary care c/d chicken flavor, I wonder if he’s allergic to that? It happened after he was on that for a few years.

[@KittyHelpDesk]

It's important that you find a veterinarian who's willing to dig into your cat's case in order to determine if the issue is medical or behavioral. Many vets will just try a few things and move on. If you try treating a behavioral case with medical intervention, it won't work, and vice versa. I'm not a veterinarian, so I cannot comment on the medical side, but I do feel it's important to rule it out prior to treating the behavioral side. I wish you luck!

[@tanyshiachampagne6356]

I have a cat if 5 years and she licks and scratches non stop to cause deep scratches and licks to the skin being raw. She has a flea allergy to which I to her to the vet and got good topical drops back in2020 now she went again this past month because I need to help her but it's not fleas this time. I have to leave an e collar on her 24 7 otherwise she will tear herself up. I have keto c shampoo which I got from the vet but she doesn't like baths and I have to use wash clothes and do it that way but it's not helping the scraping came back dermitis and yeast bacteria so the shampoo is suppose to help but it's not fareti her to have the collar on all time. She is so unhappy what can I do ,vets are so expensive. Please help

[@KittyHelpDesk]

I am not a veterinarian. You really need to get your cat to a vet. If you can find one with experience in dermatological issues, that would be even better. Good luck!

[@keimaye]

You aren't alone, I wish I could offer something helpful but my cat situation is similar to yours. Having to seriously think about rehoming due to the fact the economic crisis has made it impossible to afford the frequent vet visits she needs. It's heartbreaking but I need to make sure she gets what she needs. Just wanted to let you know you're not alone

[@lmao_sunny]

my cat started over grooming after a scary visit to a vet, that was not a good choice for us. i believe she’s grooming where they gave her vaccinations. she was already an anxious cat but that experience set her off. then i followed up to a different vet. much better experience for us. they gave her another injection to help. it seems to have worn off and she’s back to over grooming. i hate to see her balding. i’m working on building a kitty jungle gym for her to help with boredom. what would be the next step? i don’t know if i can afford to take her to the vet yet again in such a short period. 😢 im not sure what else to do to help her

[@KittyHelpDesk]

I'm sorry to hear your cat is overgrooming. It can be very hard since they can't just tell us what's bothering them. Unfortunately, without a detailed consult, all my best suggestions are in this video. I hope it helps!

[@dreawearsshoes]

My cats over grooming started as a reaction to a flea infestation, and continued after she was treated. She was given steroids and it helped briefly and then she started again. We allow her to go outside to alleviate bordom...but she won't. My other cat does. We play with her...I am.at a loss. We have two little kids, she is allowed to sleep with us and yet she is bald belly and back legs 😢

[@KittyHelpDesk]

Steroids alleviate itching. If a steroid shot made her overgrooming temporarily better, then she's probably reacting to an itch or other stimulus that's still present and it may not be a behavior issue at all. Steroids only work for a brief time. You may need to get your vet to dig into other issues that could be causing her to itch. Good luck!

[@keimaye]

I'm having the exact same issue and it's stressing her (and me) out! Have you had any resolution yet? We've tried everything to remedy it and she just continues on and on and on

[@Idktesthandle1234]

Same here!

[@faisanoh8331]

We have a 7months old kitten. He always going outside and tend to live in our neighbor. Now when he lick his fur he overgroom it. His skin is visible mow. He is persian.

[@KittyHelpDesk]

Your first order of business is to visit a qualified veterinarian in order to determine if there's a medical issue such as allergies at play.

[@sodapopyo]

My cat has licked herself bald, I'm trying everything and have taken to the vet many times. I wish someone can help me with some advice. My cat has toys all around the house. Cat trees and is always running around. She seems very happy. Just don't know why she is over grooming

[@KittyHelpDesk]

It can be difficult since they can't just tell us what's bothering them. Most of the general advice I'd give you is right here in this video. If you need help formulating a plan, I recommend scheduling an appointment to discuss it. Visit kittyhelpdesk.com for more information.

[@sodapopyo]

@@KittyHelpDesk thank you

[@pewnayhi]

Do they over groom if they’re pregnant? My pregnant cat just started overgrooming. We’ve taken her to the vet and they just gave her a shot and a spray for the wound.

[@KittyHelpDesk]

A cat may overgroom if they feel discomfort in the area they're grooming. I imagine that could happen easily while pregnant. I would just do all you can to soothe her and see if it resolves after the birth.

[@ToddZilla813]

What if they try to groom your face while you sleep? I cannot get my kitten to stop licking my face during the night. HELP!!!!!

[@KittyHelpDesk]

ANY response will probably reinforce the behavior. Cover your head and ignore it and the behavior will go away. But before it goes away, there will be an extinction burst where the behavior gets worse. If that happens, you know you're on the right track.

[@ToddZilla813]

@@KittyHelpDesk Thanks you!!!!