My cat licked his fur off from anxiety. How can I help it regrow?

Question

We just adopted a 3 1/2 year old neutered male cat. He had "anxiety issues" (they called it) at the rescue, and has licked his tummy completely bare of fur, and his flanks nearly so. He has fur on his face, legs, and a stripe down the middle of his back and on his tail. How soon will the fur grow back and what can we do to help? Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | neutered | 3 years and 7 months old | 6 lbs

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA · Accepted Answer

It can take several months for the fur to grow back. It is true that some cats can be very anxious and pull out their hair as a result. However, this does not mean there couldn't be another component that could be causing skin irritation or itch, like allergies, fleas, mites, etc. I would recommend that you have Jamie examined by a vet to see if there is a medical cause for the hair plucking. See the link below for possible causes and to get a few ideas to discuss with your vet. If no medical cause is found, he could be started on supplements or prescription medications for anxiety. Common OTC supplements in cats include Xylkene or Feliway Pheromone Diffusers. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2565

My cat licked his fur off from anxiety. How can I help it regrow?

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