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My female Maine coon (age 7) has just started to groom ...

Sent to Pet Experts December 7 2005 at 5:19 AM
   

My female Maine coon (age 7) has just started to groom herself to the point that she is now actually pulling clumps of hair out. She is also cleaning over her ears a lot. Could this be caused by an alergy or because she is high strung? We use the plug in cat pheramones.

Optional Information:
Age: 7; Female; Breed: Maine Coon

Already Tried:
Brushing, pheramones, cat nip.

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Status:  Closed   Value: $5
Answer
December 7 2005 at 5:34 AM (15 minutes and 16 seconds later)
         
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Maine coons have a thick outer coat and dense undercoat. I have one that is 15&ahalf years old! They are also fastideous groomers. Your cat is eperiencing some itching and distress. She also may have an ear infection that is causing her pain which she is tring to releive by overgrooming in her frustration. Cats often develop allergies to food, litter and other things they were not previously allergic to. Have you changed to a different brand of food or litter? If she is a high strung cat she may have stress related issues if anything new has happened in her life recently. First get her examined by the Vet to rule out an ear infection (common in Maine Coons) because of the tufts of ear hair. You will want to check for fleas as they can come in on your shoes and only ONE fleabite van cause an allergic reaction.If she checks out medically then I would suspect a food allergy.
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Reply
December 7 2005 at 4:04 PM (10 hours and 29 minutes and 54 seconds later)
         
I will take her to the vet. Thanks for your input.
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