Why is my cat excessively licking and losing hair on his legs?

Question

My 2 year old cat keeps licking himself, he now has bare spots on his legs. I have tried everything and nothing seems to make him stop. Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 2 years old | 15 lbs

Dr. Elizabeth · Accepted Answer

Salem may be licking due to a few reasons. Over grooming from stress tends to occur on the lower limbs and the belly. It's also possible Leo has developed an allergy (it could be environmental or food related) or that his thyroid is having problems. I think your best option is to have him examined by the veterinarian. The doctor will get a better idea of the cause from an examine. They also have medications that can help with each of the conditions. At home you can try giving him an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for pets but it may not correct the underlying cause. This can however improve over all skin health. There are two brands of food, Royal Canin and Nutro, which are aimed at skin health and they may help as well but again, they may not affect the underlying problem. You may also try to address any stress with a pheromone diffuser and environmental enrichment. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Why is my cat excessively licking and losing hair on his legs?

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