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Why is my cat licking fur off her inner thighs and groin area?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Female | spayed | 4 years and 9 months old

My cat has been licking the fur from the inside of her back legs to her groin and I would like to know the possible cause and solutions to the issue. She does not have any fleas or noticeable sickness that I can see.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 17th, 2018

Your kitty is likely a nervous or stressed cat, especially if stressful events (new neighborhood cat, new boyfriend, new baby, mvoing, removing or adding furniture, new puppy , etc.) have happened before she started the excessive licking. This licking pattern would be typical for overgrooming. Your vet needs to rule out parasites, fungal and bacterial infections. If there is none of these then you can try to help your cat by removing anything stressful in the house that can be removed and placing Feliway dispensers in the areas she spends most of the time. Feliway is a pheromone that makes cats happy and takes away stress. You will need to do this for at least two months before you will see success. If this does not work, then your vet can do some medication trials to see whether she will stop the overgrooming.

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