Help - Advice on Pulling Hair Out
I'm asking for any advice on my 2-year-old male cat (Sylvester) who woke up this morning at 5:00 a.m and starting frantically scratching his upper back (close to his head). He scratched so much that he was pulling his hair out and it was bleeding. I took him to the emergency clinic and they suggested it could be an allergy or an anxiety problem. I don't believe he has an anxiety problem. The vet hardly looked at him, so I don't know how she could make that diagnosis. She suggested I take him to a cat dermatologist. Although, I love my cat, I'm concerned about the cost of a dermatologist and possibly allergy tests. I might add that this happened in February, 2003, but it was a severe case. When I found him in the morning, he had actually scratched until it was raw. It took almost 2-3 months to clear up.
I don't think it's a food allergy, because I haven't changed foods recently. I am concerned that this will continue to happen. Sylvester isn't much of a lap cat, he seems to get overstimulated with too much petting.
This has been a difficult week for my husband and I. We lost our 16-year-old lab on Monday and our 16-year-old Cocker Spaniel passed away Tuesday during the night. We found him Wednesday mornng. It's been a very difficult and expensive week for us.
Does anybody have any advice?
