Content
- out of boredom
- feels out of place
- the arrival of intruders
- threatening intruders
- Severe cases of psychogenic alopecia in cats
- other causes
THE psychogenic alopecia in cats it is a mental disorder, in most cases transient, that felines subjected to stressful episodes suffer. There are different degrees of affectation ranging from mild cases to very severe. This abnormal behavior can occur in any type of feline breed. However, more "emotional" cats are more likely to suffer from it, that is, pets that need more affection from the families they live with.
Continue reading this PeritoAnimal article in which we will explain the most common causes that cause the feline psychogenic alopecia and ways to treat it.
out of boredom
Boredom is one of the most common causes that causes psychogenic alopecia in cats. Cats sanitize themselves with licks with their tongue. This mouth organ is rough and abrasive, and if the cat goes too far in its hygiene, it will eventually pull out its fur instead of dragging the dead fur out of its fur. This type of behavior is common when cats are alone in the house for too long. No human companionship, no other pets to interact with, and no toys to entertain themselves, many cats lick themselves compulsively. They can't find any other better activity to spend the endless hours of solitude.
If you observe this behavior, the best remedy is to provide your cat with another playmate, or teach him to play with toys that keep him entertained. Soft balls or fake mice often have positive effects and end up with the problem. If that doesn't happen, it should consult the veterinarian.
feels out of place
when there is birth in a house where until that moment the cat was the smallest in the house, the cat often feels out of place. All the caresses, affectionate phrases and games that until that moment were just for him, overnight the baby becomes the preferred recipient, as is natural.
The solution is to make the cat understand that that helpless creature is also part of your family and that it is your duty to take care of it and defend it. Cats are very intelligent and the vast majority grasp and accept their new role in the family. From that moment on, the cat will be attentive to the baby's needs and will not hesitate to notify its parents if it sees that the child is ill.
Fortunately, children grow up very quickly and quickly learn that the cat makes an excellent playmate (which is something very different from being a toy). Cats, for their part, understand that that new human "little animal" still doesn't know how to behave, and that's why from time to time they suffer from a tug of their tail or fur.
the arrival of intruders
Sometimes families have the unfortunate idea, from the cat's point of view, of adopt another pet. This makes them uneasy, as most cats have a very self-centered concept of themselves, as they consider that everything should revolve around them.With this, the cats begin to sanitize themselves excessively to continue to be the most beautiful in the house and so that everything revolves around them and things return to their natural order. But what happens is, the excessive licking of your fur causes hairless spots and, therefore, psychogenic alopecia.
The solution is introduce both pets. What will happen is that the kitten will try to play with the cat, which is usually refused at first. But with time and thanks to the puppy's insistence (whether it's a dog or cat), the newcomer will be able to connect through the instinctive pleasure of playing that cats have and, finally, there will be peace.
threatening intruders
The thing gets quite complicated when the arrival at home, which until then was the cat's kingdom, is a adult dog instead of a puppy. This situation is more difficult as most of the time both will try to achieve supremacy, the hierarchical command of the house. The cat will consider seniority rights to prevail. However, the dog will not agree and will try to impose its dominance by brute force.
There are breeds, both feline and canine, more willing to accept intruders and adapt to new situations. Siamese, Ragdoll, Maine Coon are clear examples of felines that accept newly arrived adult dogs without major problems. In the case of dogs, the Golden Retriever or the Afghan Galgo are dogs that are easy to live with cats. European cats are perhaps the breed that worst supports living with a dog in an apartment. If it's a farm it's different as there's enough space for both.
Severe cases of psychogenic alopecia in cats
Sometimes cats are so anxious and stressed that they not only lick themselves to excess, they also rub against furniture or walls, causing ulcerations or petechiae. There are certain situations where there is no apparent cause for the cat to feel stressed, yet it happens. In these situations, consult the veterinarian.
Cats are very sensitive to the environment. A home where there is maltreatment or pre-divorce tension can help the cat to suffer from episodes of psychogenic alopecia.
other causes
THE existence of parasites in the cat's epidermis can cause psychogenic feline alopecia. By scratching the stings sharply, you can unconsciously injure yourself. Allergies, bacterial infections or ringworm can also be the cause of excessive scratching.
the death of a counterpart it can depress cats a lot, and cats are also very sensitive to the disappearance of a human being in the family. Cats love to spend hours on your lap while they watch TV, they are a mutually beneficial company for both of you. For this reason, if that person disappears because he dies or goes to a home, cats feel these sudden absences very much.
Veterinarians have methods and medications to solve the serious problems of psychogenic alopecia in cats. With behavior therapy and medical therapy they may be able to successfully treat it.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.