Awful, awful itching!

[luvdemabys]

Hi, everybody...we just came back from 2 weeks away, and found Legolas, our L'i'l Guy, in terrible shape. He's licked himself raw in several places, and can't get comfortable anywhere. He thrashes around on the floor, our laps, his bed because his whole body itches so badly. We roared over to the vet with him the very next morning, and she gave him a shot...some steroid...which helped him before but doesn't seem to have given him much relief. That was Friday, and Sunday afternoon he's still in pretty bad shape. We, including the vets, his regular one and the specialist, have thought it was a food allergy...but while we were gone, the pet sitter was feeding all three of our kids the special allergy food, and giving L'i'l Guy the triamcinalone pills and this still happened!We'll take him back to the vet tomorrow. Meanwhile, does anyone know how to give him some relief??? We put the anti-itch gel on the raw spots, and he's mostly leaving them alone, but the overall squirming is breaking our hearts. And, of course, he won't eat, and is positively gaunt. Please help if you can!?! Thanks

[PayItForward]

I have no advice :(

But I am sending postive thoughts & prayers, that Legolas feels better soon.

[Prairie Purrs]

Poor baby! :( The steroid shots did the trick for my Katie when she was scratching herself raw. Could there possibly be anything environmental that's aggravating matters--anything used for cleaning, air fresheners, anything?

[lailamara]

Aww. poor kitty. My Bodhi scratches a lot and I got a herbal spray called Shea Pet. They have a website www.sheapet.com that describes the products. I might add that it's good for my itches too. Hope he's O.K real soon.

[Tonya]

Aww, I am sorry to hear that! I hope he gets better! I don't really have any advice. Do you think it could have been nerves from you being gone?

[carole]

My first thought was a flea allery problem, but obviously not, poor baby, i do hope you get the help u need, i have suffered from all over allery rash problems, so i know how it feels, poor kitty, my empathy to you sweetie. GET BETTER SOON

[gemee]

Don't walk.....but RUN to your local PetsMart or pet store. This same thing peridically happens to my cat. For years I would give him a twice a year steroid shot, until I learned the longterm dangers that this could have on him. I scrutinized everything that he eats, made sure that he was eating from glass bowls only. Flea bites do seem to trigger this reaction in him, but it is more like an itching cycle once he gets one itch......then he just KEEPS itching until he is RAW in many places. I found the absolute best and immediate way to treat this, is to BREAK the cycle of itching, by applying Hydro-cortisone cream to his body. I purchased an inexpensive creme at PetsMart called 2 in 1 Hydro-Cortisone Anti-Itch Creme. I put a couple good size dollups in my hands and rub them together, like I am putting on hand lotion. Then I rub my hands everywhere on his body. The itching seems to stop immediately. I believe that it is more pyschological than anything, that is why once the creme is applied, he stops. Another thing that I bought that works just as well, is something called Green Ban. I bought it at the health food store. It is an anti-itch powder for pets. It says on the container that it "helps stop the itch-scratch cycle". It contains peppermint, eucalypt, cajuput, and myrrh. I sprinkle this on him and he also immediately stops scratching. I have not had to even consider a steroid shot in over a year, because the "cycle" is stopped, once I notice it beginning.
One clue to all of this, is the fact that you were gone on vacation when this started. this tells me that your cat is "sensitive" in nature. Is this true? My cat is very sensitive. In fact, my husband and I have often joked that he is "gay". (Hope I didn't offend anyone here. lol) But my cat is more of a sensitive guy that gets his "feelings" hurt more easily than the other cats. "Things" effect him, whereas my other cats are not effected. Make certain that he is up to snuff with flea control, because one flea can trigger this whole scratching cycle. Please feel free to email me privately for further information on the products that I use. [email protected]