Even hairless cats such as this one can have issues with excessive grooming. On cats with fur, it can signal medical or psychological problems.
Even hairless cats such as this one can have issues with excessive grooming. On cats with fur, it can signal medical or psychological problems. (Courtesy photo)

Dear Boulder's Natural Animal Hospital,

I know that cats like to groom themselves but my little kitty, Lola, seems to not like doing anything else. I've had her for 12 years and never noticed her grooming that much until about 2 months ago. Now it seems like all she wants to do is lick and groom. She's even got some bald spots now. What is going on with my sweet Lola?


Licking Lola

Dear Licking Lola:

Sounds like your little Lola has an overactive sense of personal hygiene.

As you know, all cats groom themselves. It's part of the daily routine of being a feline. As you also know, cats are the grand communicators of the pet world. Sometimes they take the not-so-pleasant "direct" route of telling you how they feel, as with the client of ours who's kitty would pee on her boyfriend's shoes whenever he spent the night. (She found a new boyfriend!). Sometimes, though, our little feline friends "talk" to us in more subtle ways. Excessive grooming, defined as grooming or licking activity that has become obsessive, can be one of those subtle forms of communication.

This, of course, brings up the question. "What is my kitty trying to tell me?"

Often, a cat who excessively grooms has one of two possible issues; medical or psychological.


Medical problems

There can be a wide variety of medical issues that can cause excessive grooming. Sometimes generalized excessive grooming can be a sign of skin allergies. Allergies or itchiness can also be localized to one particular area on your cat's body. Though uncommon in the Boulder area, Lola's excessive grooming could also be a sign of a skin parasite such as fleas.

If Lola has pain due to an injury or arthritis she may focus her licking or grooming to that area. Also known as "fur mowing," this can be your cat's way of trying to soothe her discomfort.

Some underlying medical issues such as hyperthyroidism or cystitis may also lead to excessive grooming.

Psychological issues

Cats can be very sensitive to the world. This can make them incredibly attuned companions to their humans, but can also make them highly susceptible to stress. Excessive grooming might be Lola's way of dealing with anxiety through something called "displacement."

Has anything recently changed in her life? Sometimes a new addition to the home such as a new animal companion or baby can cause your cat to become stressed. Other common stressors we see that can lead to excessive grooming are moving to a new home or big changes in the current home, changes to the litter or litter box, changes to diet, etc.

How to help

The good news is there are plenty of ways you can help Lola feel better. First, have her examined by your veterinarian to rule out any possible medical issues, since those are often the easiest problems to find.

If your veterinarian doesn't find anything medically wrong with Lola, he or she will likely suspect psychogenic alopecia (medical speak for psychological excessive grooming). You and your vet will then become sleuths seeking to discover what is stressing Lola out and removing that stress from her life. With a little effort and a lot of love, we're confident Lola's bald patches will return to their former beauty.

Your Boulder's Natural Animal Hospital Veterinarians
