My cat Evinrude also has allergic problems. He not only licks and chews his fur--enough to result in bald spots--but he also scratches. Before I figured out what was going on, he had scratched enough to create scabs. (Don't want to go there, because then you have to start with antibiotics to head off any infection...) Anyway, he gets a form of Prednisone--two pills a day when most severe, then weaning down to a pill every other day. We started all this when he was a little fluffball kitten, so he's a pretty good pill-taker, thank goodness.

WARNING: There is an allergy SHOT that cats can get, the effects of which apparantly last for weeks/months, BUT my vet does not recommend it because it's been correlated with a high incidence of diabetes onset in those cats. So we're still with the pills for now. The condition is supposedly seasonal, so I'm waiting...

Also, since dry skin might be an aggravating factor in his discomfort, I give him vitamins (liquid squirt pump) for improved scalp/coat. Can't hurt.