Cat Licking

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Some cats are more fastidious than others, but obsessive grooming signals a problem.
Nellie, a seven-year-old female spayed tortoiseshell, rolled over on her back and revealed a bald belly. That's when her owner suddenly noticed she had a cat that licked too much. Licking comes naturally to cats, but sometimes this normal grooming urge crosses the line into obsessive behavior. If your cat's licking seems excessive in frequency or duration, don't ignore the problem. Here's what you can do if you suspect your cat's habitual grooming behavior isn't so normal anymore.
Cats typically spend between 30 and 50 percent of their day grooming themselves, says Pamela Perry, DVM, animal behavior resident of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. "It's a huge chunk of their day," she says. "Because cats groom frequently, owners usually don't notice a problem until they observe significant hair loss or skin lesions," she adds.
Cats will lick when an area of their body is itchy or painful, says William Miller, Jr., VMD, a board certified specialist in dermatology and a professor at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. If pain is the issue, the licking is focused on the painful area, like in cases of disc disease or anal sac impaction. With itchy diseases, however, the licking is more widespread.
"We call these cats 'fur mowers,' and their problem is common in cats," Dr. Miller says. "The area being 'mowed' gives us a clue as to the cause [which can include anything from parasites in kittens to neurological diseases in older cats], but there is great overlap," he says. For example, compulsive licking at the tail head may indicate a flea infestation, while cats with pollen or food allergies may lick their backs, abdomens or other areas of the body.
Licking that causes excessive numbers of hairballs or hair loss is abnormal, Dr. Miller notes. "Bald skin is more prone to sunburn, frostbite or other environmental insults," he says. "As long as the licking doesn't break the skin's surface, no infection will occur. If the cat gets more passionate about licking and abrades the skin surface [with its rough tongue], infection can occur. Infection will intensify the licking and a vicious cycle will be set up, resulting in a serious infection," he explains.
The solution to "fur mowing" is to identify the underlying cause and correct it. "The owner can check for fleas, lice and fur mats, but beyond that, a veterinarian should intervene," Dr. Miller says.
"Over-the-top" licking does not always stem from a physical health problem; the behavior can occasionally have a psychological cause. Cats like consistency and predictability, and change can be stressful, Dr. Perry says. A recent move, the addition or loss of another pet in the home, or even a change of schedule can cause anxiety in cats. Licking - which in such cases is considered a "displacement behavior" - may calm and comfort a cat, but it can sometimes become habitual if the source of the problem is not properly identified and addressed.
"If all medical problems have been ruled out, then we normally treat overgrooming as the result of some form of stress in a cat's life," Dr. Perry says. If possible, she recommends making changes or introductions gradually; bringing familiar items (such as bedding) to a new home; adding cat-friendly vertical space - high places where cats can retreat and feel safe; and keeping their environment stimulating by finding a few minutes (ten to 15 minutes daily will do) to play with them each day.
"Most cats really enjoy interaction," Dr. Perry says. "Finding what your cat likes, whether it's cuddle time with you or a favorite toy that is like a security blanket, can relieve stress."
Finally, if your cat is seriously stressed, a form of temporary anti-anxiety drug therapy prescribed by your veterinarian may be warranted, she says.
In addition, like people who bite their fingernails, the repetitive act of licking may involve a stress-relieving pleasure component that reinforces the behavior, Dr. Perry says. Thus, feline licking can become a habit that persists after the cause is identified and resolved. "Usually, the behavior is forgotten [naturally or with the help of medication] in about a month," Dr. Miller says.
Whether the cause is physiological or psychological, solving an overgrooming problem will require time and patience on the owner's part. For Nellie, who had recently endured the loss of a companion animal in her home, the solution required consistent attention, affection and routine. It took a few months, but her hair is growing back and her life has returned to normal.

Licking themselves is part of any normal cat’s life especially since they are meticulous groomers. They may also lick their nose, bum and genitals. However, if your cat is excessively grooming herself and licking but also biting her fur and body parts, it could be a cause for alarm.  
These are the possible reasons why your cat is licking and biting herself:
If you notice your cat licking a particular spot in her fur profusely and chomping or biting at it, your cat may have fleas. This behavior is often accompanied by low growls and could indicate discomfort and pain because of the flea bites. Prevent your cat from having flea allergy dermatitis and other related conditions by treating her with flea medication like Frontline or Revolution which is also effective against ear mites, deer ticks and heartworms. Cheristin is another potent flea treatment especially if you live in a bad flea region where most fleas are resistant to medication. 
Your cat may also be licking and biting herself because she has allergies. She could be allergic to food and cleaning products. Her allergies could be giving her considerable discomfort. Here are the common signs of allergies in cats:
To relieve your cat’s allergy try to give her fatty acid supplements and medication like Benadryl or Cetirizine. Consult your vet first. 
Cats also experience mental health problems like obsessive-compulsive disorder that may result in them licking and biting themselves excessively. It is characterized by repetitive and exaggerated behavior that seems to be without a purpose such as vocalization, compulsive pacing, sucking, chewing on fabric and excessive grooming. This disorder could become a fixed behavior and tends to reinforce itself due to the release of pain-relieving chemicals in a cat’s brain. 
Some of the causes of OCD may include stress due to changes in a cat’s environment and confinement and and mental disorder. Do not punish your cat if she manifests compulsive behavior and consult your vet if you notice behavioral changes. 
Are you always away during the day? If your cat is left alone and has a sedentary routine she may get bored and stressed. Not having an enriched environment makes your cat lick and bite herself as well as overgroom to burn excess energy.  
Stress could also lead cats to lick and bite themselves. Causes of stress include home relocation, a sudden change in a cat’s environment or routine and new family members or pets at home. To avoid stress and anxiety, allot playtime with your cat and maintain her health. 
Provide a litter box in strategic areas at home and create a peaceful mealtime. Pheromones like Feliway can also help alleviate cat stress. 
Your cat could also be licking and biting herself because of feline hyperesthesia syndrome, she has dry skin due to weather or nutritional inadequacies or because she is experiencing pain and discomfort in a particular spot of her body. She may also seem to be licking and biting herself but your cat is actually just pulling her fur through her teeth like a comb to remove mats and dirt.
If a cat licks himself until he bleeds due to overgrooming she may have an anxiety problem. Felines tend to manifest stress and anxiety when there are sudden changes in their environment, a recent move to a new home, loud noises, a new family member addition or if you moved her litter box or furniture in your home. When a cat licks itself until it bleeds, it may result in hair loss and skin sores. 
Have you noticed your cat compulsively licking his tail until it bleeds? It could be a sign of flea infestation while cats with allergies may lick their backs, abdomens and other areas of the bodies excessively.  
Your cat acts like something is biting her because she is feeling discomfort and pain. The culprit could be something that is not easily noticeable. Your cat may suddenly bite her fur on her back, belly or tail for no obvious reasons at all. This could also be attributed to obsessive-compulsive disorder as well stress and anxiety. Without fully knowing it, your cat may be suffering from skin problems due to inhalant and food allergies or bacterial yeast infection.  
A cat typically licks itself in front of you to clean off scents which can happen right after you pet or pick her up. She may also be annoyed that you touched her and she is licking herself in front of you because she does not like the scent you left on her fur. 
Licking is a normal part of a cat’s grooming routine but it can be a cause for alarm when she is licking and biting herself too much. Cats may lick and bite themselves if they have fleas or allergies. They can also behave that way if they have obsessive-compulsive disorder, stress or dry skin. 
Image: istockphoto.com / Konstantin Aksenov
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