Dr. Larry's Animal House

Feline Follies - Cat Behavior

Cat Obsessive Hair Licking

This is an anxiety-based behavior problem, frequently referred to as a phobic or Obsessive Compulsive disorder. Talk to your vet about a medication like buspar, and begin one-on-one anti-anxiety focus sessions with your cat, with no other people or animals around, twice a day, minimum 15 minutes, with copious amounts of Cosmic cat nip, cat nip toys, pounce, cheese or tuna treats, with gentle caressing. Whenever your cat is still, and doing ANYTHING but pulling out its hair, say "Good girl!", toss some irresistable treats and keep walking on. If she is starts to engage in the hair pulling, then tell her no or "off" and depress an ultrasound device (usually designed for dogs) away from your ears and hers, and startle her. After she stops the behavior for 5 continuous minutes, start noticing and rewarding the non-hair pulling behavior. Give it 6-12 weeks.