Recent News and Articles on the Keywords: cat + nibble + does  Related to the article below (Last Update: 8/7/2008)

Riverfront Times Cooking for Your Cat: Kitty Breakfast Riverfront Times, MO - Aug 1, 2008 It looked like she had taken a tiny nibble. The sight of that tiny bit of missing egg filled me with unspeakable delight. I cut up the remaining eggs into ... Teaching young cats new tricks Houston Chronicle, United States - Jul 26, 2008 Minutes before his refusal to sit, he'd responded eagerly to Garcia's orders to "touch" her thumb with his nose in return for a nibble of chicken liver. ... Paying butcher $647211 in checks is a sucker bet Chicago Tribune, United States - Jul 24, 2008 The fish nibble away the dead skin on their toes. "This is a good treatment for everyone who likes to have nice feet," said the spa owner, to my horror. ... An extra scratch behind the ears always delights a dog Fiji Times, Fiji - Jul 18, 2008 I have been good and not tried to bite him, just a friendly nibble or two, so maybe that is the reason. I have to say it is rather nice that I now have ... Sastre can show his class! Sportingweb.co.za, South Africa - Jul 22, 2008 Sastre is 13.34/1 at World of Sport and that is worth a nibble. I am also going to take a few match bets. I like Valverde/Samuel Sanchez at 1/1 with World ... Life is sweet for Su-the-Weenie-Dog Edmond Sun, OK - Jul 18, 2008 So far I?ve resisted nibbling on four sets of sandal-clad feet. Yum. I do love toes. Today is Monday Bridge day. I?d know that even if I couldn?t hear the ... With the iPhone hitting SA stores soon, Leander Kahney looks at ... The Times, South Africa - Jul 26, 2008 Even the underdog Mac operating system (OS) has begun to nibble into Windows? once-unassailable dominance; last year, its share of the US market topped six ... Pratt: Millie the fish makes me think of the call to try and ... LubbockOnline.com, TX - Jul 11, 2008 Obviously, Millie the fish could not resist the temptation to nibble on one of her acquaintances. From our perspective outside the aquarium, ... Five Joy Spells from my Silver Casket Deccan Herald, India - Jul 31, 2008 This joy spell tumbles out of the silver lined casket when an especially dark day of dread starts nibbling up my heart. I mysteriously find a book fair in ... Ripley's hooked on Nippy Pittsburgh Post Gazette, PA - Jul 10, 2008 Veterinarians took X-rays, did exploratory surgery and recommended the Vavro family, of Butler, put down their cat. Nippy would surely drown if she drank ...

Why does my cat nibble her tail?

There are lots of things that can cause your cat to pull out her fur. The causes can range from an allergic reaction to fleas through to a severe skin infection and it can also be caused by stress.

Sometimes the diagnosis of a skin problem is lengthy, involving skin tests, and also the treatment can be very long term. It is important that you make another appointment for your cat to see their vet, to discuss your concerns, the treatment and the possible outcomes.

There are many reasons why a cat will groom excessively. It may be that there is a skin infection or parasitic invasion. It may be that the cat is reacting to the stress through excessive grooming. This is quite a common syndrome.

In excessive grooming, anxiety is usually the trigger, and can be the introduction of a new cat, relative or baby, a house move, cattery boarding, enforced confinement, death of a companion or bullying by a dominant cat. Boredom or enforced confinement often concentrates the cat on one area of their body.

The same things that upset us can cause stress in pets too. They may find changes to their environment, such as staying in a cattery or visiting the vets, may be difficult to cope with.

Changes in the home, such as re-arranging the furniture or re-decoration, arguments or even events such as parties, can be stressful. Also pets don't like a cluttered or overcrowded space.

If the daily routine in this 'space' is upset, for instance though a new job so that the pet is left alone for longer, or the arrival of a new baby, the animal may find it all too much.

The disappearance of a companion, whether human or pet, through death or through moving away, will evoke an upsetting grieving process. If you identify the source of the stress, you can try and minimise it.

The TV can be switched off, or the pet can be protected from loud noises, for example.

This overgrooming can be a result of more than one factor, both organic and psychogenic. Underlying diseases include fungal infections, ectoparasites, such as fleas, trauma such as nerve damage, an allergy, a neoplasia or an orthopaedic problem, such as joint disease.

If your cat were responding to a stressful situation through excessive grooming, any treatment regime would involve medical attention for the physical symptoms, as your vet is doing at the moment, together with a behavioural programme to increase the ability to deal with stressful situations.

It may be that the vet will think that a short course of sedatives and preventing the excessive grooming through wearing an Elizabethan collar to stop your cat getting to the affected area, for example, may be necessary before the psychological symptoms are tackled.

An Elizabethan collar is a large bucket-like circle of plastic that is attached to the pet's normal collar.

It is also important to break this itch-scratch cycle or obsessive compulsive behaviour and that is usually why vets use drugs to reduce inflammation, and suggest using an Elizabethan collar.

It may be worthwhile seeing if any pet shops near you can supply a collar like this, or if there is any other way of ordering one specific for your cat's size, after discussing with your vet whether this is an appropriate treatment in your cat's case.

Itchiness can also be due to fleas, or an allergy. With fleabite hypersensitivity the cat reacts to one of the 15 protein fractions in the flea's saliva that is injected into the skin when the flea is feeding.

This reaction is the cause of most of the itching with a flea infestation, causing nibbling and self-trauma leading to a 'hot spot'. This self-trauma leads the skin open to bacteria, fungi etc and the patient can develop a skin infection.

If you think your cat is grooming too much and is showing signs of obsessive behaviour, discuss it with your vet so that they can consider incorporating this factor into the treatment regime.

Remember Elaine cannot replace the vet who normally looks after your pet and they should always be the first point of contact. If you are concerned your pet may be ill, don't delay contacting your own vet.