Why is my cat pulling out fur and bleeding if flea meds don't work?

Question

So my cat is about 4 years old, and this has been happening for around 2 years. She rips out fur and even her skin to the point she bleeds. We’ve been to the Vet about this multiple times, each time doing tests, and each time being told she has a severe flea allergy, and then being given either a flea pill or topical medication. However, it doesn’t seem to help her much, at least not for much longer than a week. I just want to help her, please. Pet's info: Cat | American Longhair | Female | spayed | 8 lbs

Jessica Desrosiers · Accepted Answer

If the flea treatment route isn't helping another avenue you could look to is a behavioral issue such as extreme stress leading to hyperstimulation or overgrooming, which can lead to a cat grooming to the point they tear their fur out/go bald/cause bleeding hot spots. Often, treating the underlying stressor can help to reduce the incidence, but in some cases additional help such as an Elizabethan (cone) collar to stop the habit while treating the stress is also needed. You can try out something such as Feli-way plugins or collars to help reduce stress, and if that still doesn't help speak with a trainer or behaviorist in your area that can help figure out a plan. Other medical causes of stress can include food allergies, injuries from other cats, environmental allergies, and other parasites beside fleas that could be aggravating the skin. Infections from yeast or bacteria can also cause hot spots to form and can be irritating to the skin. If you haven't yet, ruling out some of these other causes may be another avenue to explore.

Why is my cat pulling out fur and bleeding if flea meds don't work?

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