Cats are fastidious and spend much of their awake hours grooming themselves. Changes in your cat’s grooming habits may indicate an underlying health problem.
Too much grooming?
Excessive grooming may indicate skin irritation. Skin irritation may be caused from food or inhalant allergies, fleas, or dryness of the skin and haircoat. Diseases of the neurologic system, such as diabetic neuropathy or pain from a bulging disc, can cause excessive grooming. Some cats will excessively groom due to stress and anxiety. Studies have shown that rhythmic licking or grooming leads to serotonin release; serotonin is the body’s own natural anti-anxiety hormone.
Not grooming as much as usual?
A decrease in grooming may also indicate an underlying health problem. Many overweight cats cannot reach certain areas to groom and will often develop matts near their tail base. They are also prone to urinary tract infections or anal gland problems as they are not able to clean themselves after urinating or defecating. Older cats will stop grooming because of arthritic pain or dental pain.
What about hairballs?
Many people mistake vomiting hairballs to be a normal behavior for cats. While an occasional hairball is usually nothing to worry about, an increase in hairballs can indicate an underlying skin problem, anxiety disorder, altered digestive motility or pain. Long-haired cats should be brushed daily to help prevent hairball formation.
The good news is that your veterinarian can prescribe medications or weight loss diets to help control the underlying causes of a change in your cat’s grooming habits. The sooner the problem is discovered, the more successful the treatment will be.
Next week, we’ll discuss signs of stress as the next subtle sign of illness in our feline companions.
The Cat Corner 