Why is my cat licking herself raw and not using the litter box?

Question

My cat lately has been licking at herself more than usual and when she lays down in bed at night the next morning there are spots with her fur just laying there. She has also been going to the bathroom outside of her litter box, she has not done this before except for the first 2 days that we got her from the animal shelter. Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Female | spayed | 10 years and 4 months old | 12 lbs

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

It sounds like there could be a few things going on with Jenny, and I will address the excessive licking. In cats, when they excessively groom, this could be due to stress, boredom, fleas, mites, or allergies. If Jenny isn't up to date on her flea medication, I would start her on a flea treatment program. First, I would give her Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash her bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. If she is up to date on her flea treatments, then I would have her seen by the vet. While at the vet, she can be examined for not using her litter box. There can be a couple of reasons why Jenny will not use the litter box. Cats like a very clean box, and the litter should be scooped every day with the litter itself being changed once a week. If the box isn't clean enough for her, she won't use it. Cats can also be very picky about the type of litter used. If you changed litter recently, she may not like it and won't want to use it. Don't use scented litters, cats typically don't like the scent and will not use the box if it smells funny to them. I would use an unscented litter only. The litter box itself may be a problem. It could be too small for her to turn around in, or if it has a cover, she may not like using the box under a cover. Conversely, if it doesn't have a cover, she may not like going to the bathroom in the open. Cats also won't use a litter box that is too close to their food and water sources, so if the litter box is close to those, she won't use it. Finally, there could be a medical issue behind her not using the litter box, such as a UTI or bladder stones. If none of the above scenarios apply to Jenny, the vet can do a physical exam, blood tests, and a urinalysis to see if she has a UTI or bladder stones, and can treat her for them.

Why is my cat licking herself raw and not using the litter box?

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