My Cat Grooms Excessively — Is Something Wrong?

image of a cat.

It is normal for cats to groom themselves throughout the day. In fact, cats may spend up to one half of each day grooming themselves. For this reason, you may not even notice if your cat starts to groom himself or herself excessively. Nonetheless, if your cat constantly licks himself or herself or is pulling out his or her fur, the behavior must be addressed and you should consult with your feline veterinarian.

What Constitutes Excessive Grooming?

Excessive grooming includes constant licking as well as pulling out tufts of hair. It can be caused by a medical problem or may be a compulsive disorder known as psychogenic alopecia.

Why Does My Cat Groom Excessively?

Cats groom excessively for a variety of reasons. For instance, intra-dermal skin tests and dermatological observation by a feline veterinarian may reveal skin parasites, fleas, food sensitivities, cystitis or other conditions that can be easily treated. Treatment may include prescribed or over-the-counter medications, natural remedies or an alteration in your cat's environment. Sometimes a change in diet may be all that is required.

Another reason your cat may groom excessively is that he or she has internal parasites, an endocrine imbalance or other serious medical issues. Your veterinarian may perform a blood test to determine whether your cat is suffering from an internal parasite or other medical condition.

In addition, your veterinarian might ask you questions regarding your cat's other behaviors, especially those that have recently changed. Certain changes in your cat’s behaviors, such as repetitive licking in one area, known as fur mowing, can be indicative of pain in the area and can be caused by anal sac impaction or injury. Knowing whether your cat is engaging in activities such howling at night, regurgitating, hiding, twitching, sneezing, coughing or wheezing or destroying things will help your veterinarian diagnose the cause of any excessive grooming habits.

Other Potential Causes of Excessive Grooming

Over-grooming due to medical reasons should be ruled out before concluding that your cat is exhibiting a compulsive disorder. If there is no evidence of a medical issue, excessive grooming may be psychogenic in nature.

Psychogenic alopecia can be caused by certain conditions, such as age-related cognitive difficulty, anxiety or boredom. Cats with age-related cognitive difficulty may start to groom excessively as a reaction to neurological changes that can occur with age.

Perhaps your cat is seeking attention due to a change in or addition to his or her environment. For example, introducing a new baby or pet into your home may be too much of a disruption to your cat’s routine, causing him or her to over-groom.

Another possibility is that your cat is experiencing anxiety because you're working more hours away from home or because you're exhibiting stressful behavior yourself.

Your cat may also simply be bored. Keeping him or her better entertained can solve many behavioral issues, including excessive grooming.

Your feline veterinarian can help determine the underlying reason for your cat's over-grooming and ascertain the best course of treatment to solve the problem.

Location

Find us on the map

Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

7:30 am-5:30 pm

Tuesday:

7:30 am-5:30 pm

Wednesday:

7:30 am-5:30 pm

Thursday:

7:30 am-5:30 pm

Friday:

7:30 am-5:30 pm

Saturday:

Open 1st & 3rd Saturdays of each month. Closed 2nd & 4th Saturdays of each month.

8:00 am-2:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Testimonials

Read What Our Clients Say

  • "We have a new 8 week Boston Terrier that we took to Springfield Vet yesterday for the first time. Absolutely pleased with the service, attitudes and genuine care shown to our little boy. The whole team was so professional, but took time to talk to you and explain everything. Dr Cynthia Wiseman is so wonderful, she sat in the floor did Logan's exam and played with him. What bedside manners. I will continue to use them, I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a caring and professional vet."
    Roi W.
  • "We absolutely love this vet clinic and the staff! The facilities are modern and always clean. Everyone is always so friendly and genuinely care for you and your animal- they make you feel as if you are apart of their family.

    Our boy, Samson, is a Rottie (and quite the problem child). We are usually in the clinic almost every other month for something and they are always so helpful and show great care and love for our pup! We are very picky/protective puppy parents, so we were very grateful to have found both Dr. Cynthia and Dr. Heath shortly after getting Samson.

    We have definitely found our "home" in the vet world, and would highly recommend to anyone who is currently looking!"
    Machaelie H.
  • "I have taken my dog here since he was a puppy. The staff are so friendly and caring, a very clean place and they always get us in quickly. When we come in no one passes us without greeting my dog and I and they're never in a rush to get us out of there."
    ShealynR.
  • "We decided to start taking our new kitty here this past fall and we love it! He was not on his best behavior (to say the least) for his first appointment, and the staff was so patient and was still able to safely run his bloodwork and give him his vaccinations. Every service has been reasonably priced, and they did everything they possibly could to make sure that our little guy was off to a healthy start after we adopted him. What I love is that they really seem to focus on the small details, too, like trimming our cat's nails after remembering that I had expressed interest in doing so at a previous appointment, or supplementing his flea treatment with something to safely speed up the process. We will definitely keep coming here as long as we live in Springfield!"
    Megan J.
  • "I have been taking my dog to SVC since 2012 and when I adopted my cat in 2015. I have never had a bad experience. We have seen Drs. Heath & Cynthia Wiseman and I love them both. Always professional, always take their time when looking my pets over, asking questions, and answering mine."
    Katherine P.
  • "We’ve been taking our Moose there for a few years now. After swallowing a toy when he was a puppy, getting fixed, having surgery on his eyelids a couple times, and most recently having a breed specific illness; I can I say I would recommend everyone to go here. They’ve taken the best care of our boy time and time again and went above and beyond."
    Ashley J.
  • "We’ve been taking our Moose there for a few years now. After swallowing a toy when he was a puppy, getting fixed, having surgery on his eyelids a couple times, and most recently having a breed specific illness; I can I say I would recommend everyone to go here. They’ve taken the best care of our boy time and time again and went above and beyond."
    Ashley J.
  • "Pleasant staff.,very informative. Great environment for your pets, including own room for cats to play so as they aren't stressed out."
    Cheryl K.
  • "Dr. Cynthia Wiseman has helped my little Shiba dog with chronic hip problems tremendously with consistent acupuncture therapy! So thankful for this practice and the high quality of care they offer my pets!"
    Lacey M.