Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Cat licking at belly.

Species: Cat
Breed: Mixed Cat
Age: 5-8 years
My Cat has been licking and cleaning her abdomen untill she as removed most of the hair. I had her to the Vet 6 wks ago about this. We treated for fleas even though there were no signs of fleas, changed her food from dry science diet to the moistwet food caned science diet. She acts healthy, eating, active, sleep and use of litter box is all fine. No big change in weight.
Do I go forward with more testing, labs, bx, scrapings?
What could this be?


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi Ann and thanks for your question!

It's always hard to discuss skin cases over the internet. However, the vast majority of the time when a cat has a bald belly it is due to overgrooming. Usually this is a sign of mild anxiety in a cat.

It's often hard to know what the cause of the anxiety is. It certainly doesn't mean that you are doing anything wrong.

In most of the cases I see like this I don't do any treatment as long as the cat is behaving normally and there are no lesions or scabs.

If it does seem bothersome then I usually treat with antianxiety medication. Another thing you can look into is a product called feliway that helps with a cat's stress level.

I hope that helps! Dr. Marie


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Infected spay incision? Dear Dr.Marie, My cat Twiggy had spay surgery 2 days ago. She eats and sleeps... (23607 views)

Allergic reaction. Last night my dog went outside and came back in with a red, irritated mouth. ... (60690 views)

Constipated or urinary issue? Hello Dr Marie. I am contacting you about our cat Linus again. It is 4 am here.... (13421 views)

Dog dying of parvo. sage is well......dying of parvo and i want to know ways to make a dog really happy... (20488 views)

Tapazole not working. Miss Kitty who is spayed and about 13 yrs old (we rescued her) was recently... (11406 views)

Worms in vomit. My dog threw up a yellow substance and it had worm like creatures I it what should I... (12951 views)

Sick pregnant cat. hi, i think my cat is pregnant, shes suddenly put on alot of weight and has spotted... (12706 views)

Diarrhea and increased appetite. We found a cat that we have decided to keep. We have had all his shots, Neutered and... (8065 views)

Testosterone injection for cryptorchidism. I have a Mini French Poodle and he is about 1 year old and he only has one testicle... (10043 views)

Toenail problems. We adopted Tiger (62lb what appears to be shepard/boxer mix) in May and about a... (10157 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.