Peanut Update

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

As you can see, Peanut's tummy is quite bare these days, and it's definitely barer (more bare?) that it was before, so she is back on the prednisolone.

The Feliway did absolutely nothing, and if anything it made matters worse. I think you all know about Peanut's house? It's a cardboard box that she loves with a little window and front porch and everything. Well, I sprayed some Feliway in the box knowing that she goes in there - and now she won't go in it anymore. I think that was her little safe getaway spot before, and now I've ruined it for her.

I was rubbing both Tubby & Peanut down with the Feliway, just like the vet said, so they would both smell the same and Tubby wouldn't go over to her, sniff her then start licking her. The very first night I tried it, it worked, but hasn't really worked since then. They are no calmer, and if anything Peanut is more tense.

Her tummy was somewhat bare before, but it has gotten much worse, and I can see where it will be bare all the way up her side if I didn't do something. Previously I had never seen her licking and biting herself, but since the Feliway she was doing it all the time, and seemed really jumpy. It's almost as if it had the opposite effect on her making her nervous rather than calm.

So I called the vet back and told him what was going on, and he said we should put her back on the prednisolone for the "itchy" skin. It has helped some because now I only see her licking and biting every so often instead of all the time like before.

I also bought some Rescue Remedy and have put it in all their water sources. I think this is helping a little because Peanut seems much calmer (probably a combination of the prednisolone and the R.R.) and now when, in the middle of the night, I hear Tubby "talking" to her - which was always the prelude the midnight spat - all I have to do is yell at him and he'll go away. Whereas before he wouldn't actually leave until I got up (I really need a squirt bottle).

So, things have gotten a little better - after getting a lot worse. The vet said we should keep an eye on her and monitor the hair loss and we'll see how things go again. He's thinking the licking and biting is really due to itchy skin rather than from stress like I thought, so all we can do is wait and see. In the meantime, she's acting completely normal other than the licking and biting, so I'm probably more worried than I need to be. It's just that her tummy is so pathetic looking.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

You can see kind of on the bottom of the picture - which would be her right side, the hair looks kind of "fluffy"? I've learned that "fluffiness" is the last step before "bareness."

Oh, and the two bare spots on her back legs are from the same licking and biting, and the undersides of her front legs look the same - bare.

[Logan]

Butter has had some of the same issues. But he has not been treated with Prednisone, and he hasn't licked one big bare spot, just lots of little spots, all over his body. The vet said it was feline dermititis and he gave him an injection (twice now). Hopefully, Butter is healed for a while. I can't give him medication at home (I would lose my hand probably ), but the injections have helped both times he has gotten them. We're going in for annual shots for Butter and Honey next week. I will be sure to ask what he gave to him then.

Even if it is bare, Peanut sure does have a pretty pink belly!!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by Logan
I will be sure to ask what he gave to him then.

Even if it is bare, Peanut sure does have a pretty pink belly!!

Thanks, Logan.

The vet did mention something about an injection, but I hated to put Peanut through another trip to the vet so I thought we'd try the prednisolone again. But if it works better, I'd be willing to put her through it - for her own sake.

[Denyce]

Oh I so so know how you feel. I have two cats with the bare belly syndrome. Both my Deirdre and my Brianna are chewing their hair off their bellies and legs and Deirdre the underside of her tail. Deirdre has always been very highstrung and intense. She also REALLY doesn't like it when I have to leave for work. Often she will growl and hiss at me in displeasure. So while I was distressed I wasn't surprised to see Deirdre showing signs of seperation anxiety and stress. But Brianna was always soooo layed back and clownish. I think it might have been the introduction of my husbands cat Kaliban that started Brianna on her road to bareness. I don't know....*sigh*

But I have had both of them on Prednisone for a year...I have tried Pred with valium and I also have used the Feliway. I have two of the diffusers in the house and it just doesnt' seem to do much good. They have 2 treat balls to keep them busy. My vet and I discuss this often and have decided to try a new anti anxiety medication called Clomicalm. It is specifically for obsessive compulsive disorders and seperation anxiety. It is a human drug that they have been using in dogs and some in cats.

They have only been on it for a little over a week but I have seem some positive changes. Deirdre is not nearly so frantic. She is actually walking about the house rather than running back and forth all the time. She askes politely for food rather than trying to just steal it off my plate. She is still doing the Deirdre loving things like standing on her hind legs on the table when I get home and giving me a hug. But she isn't meowing frantically at me. She went outside yesterday in the beautiful weather while my hubby was grilling burgers and leaped in the air to try and pounce on a shrew.

Brianna's demeaner isn't quite so dramatically changed but she is calmer. She just doesn't seem so tense. She relaxes on the sofa and purrs rather than pacing and meowing.

It took a bit to get the dosage right. Brianna gets 5 mg per day and Deirdre only about 2.5 mg per day. When I gave Deirdre 5 mg which was the recommended dosage she seemed rather spacy. Like she was just looking at all the pretty colors. So we took her off completely for four days then tried her at the lower dosage. So far that seems to be working. What is really funny is my vet asked me if I "wouldn't mind calling her every day to give an update!" *LOL* I told her I would call her every hour if she wanted...wouldn't mind....*L*

I hate giving them meds but I am hoping that after a few more months they will settle down and I can take them off of them. But I would rather have them on medication and happier than not and mutilating themselves from stress. Sorta like a depressed anxious person, they lead a better quality of life with the medication than just trying to tough it out.

Denyce

[Barbara]

Phew - this sounds difficult. I hope poor Peanut will get better with the prednisolone. And I hope she begins to love her little house again after the Feliway smell is gone.
Poor girl.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Wow, thanks for the great info Denyce! Peanut actually started licking her front legs bare when I first moved in with Terry over 4 years ago. But she stopped for the longest time so I figured it was the stress of moving. But then the vet said allergies, then not allergies, and now no allergies just itchy skin, so I sort of gave up on the stress idea, but maybe it is still stress. I know Terry has been under a lot of stress the last few months, and he works out of the house so she could be getting it from him. I asked him the other day about it, and of course he said he doesn't act any different - but I know better.

I'll keep the Clomicalm in mind too, and if she doesn't get any better I will bring it up with the vet next time I talk to him.

And thanks, Barbara, I felt so bad when she wouldn't go in her house anymore because she really loved it. Maybe if I take a soft treat and rub it all over inside that will cover up the Feliway smell with a yummy treat smell. Hadn't thought of that before, but I think I'll do it as soon as I get home tonight!

[catland]

or rub it with catnip

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

Poor little Peanut......
although a little bare...her little pink tummy looks so kissable!
Tinky has been licking and biting the fronts of her front two legs...
the furr isn't looking bare.. but it is bothering me that she keeps doing it... I will have to ask the vet when I take them soon.

Does Peanut like catnip? Maybe you can put some catnip in her house or maybe put one of her daddy's shirts in the house that way it smells like her favorite guy.... instead of the feliway. Hope she likes her little house again soon.. I remember the pics you posted... she is just too cute!!!

[slick]

Peanut - I don't care if your tummy is bare, I just want to kiss it all over! Please get better soon.

[moosmom]

You might want to try spray catnip on her little house. It usually works like a charm.

Good luck!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Debbie, I sure hope that Peanut's obsessive behavior can be treated soon and that she also feels better soon. Her pink tummy sure is cute. Please keep us updated.

[NoahsMommy]

Awwww...Peanut!! You poor thing!

I hope the meds work soon.

[kimlovescats]

Oh poor sweet Peanut! I hope you can get your problem figured out and taken care of soon. Yes, your pink tummy is really cute and soft I'm sure, but we don't want you to end up hurting yourself!!!

Hugs, Love and Purrs!

Kim

[BastetsMum]

Bastet started to lick her belly bare and the Vet said to place her in one room with everything she needed and keep it nice and relaxed and reasonably dark until she got used to the smells of the new house. He also put her on rescue remedy in her water and changed her diet in case it was allergy.

She was less stressed after a week and now she is doing just great! The rescue remedy isstill in her water bowl.

I hope Peanut gets better - she does have a very kissable belly though.