Cat is indoor all the time, no contact with other cats so he has not been fighting! The skin where the hair is missing looks like little scratches! We thought maybe it was a vitamin deficiency,but don't want to do the wrong thing! Can you help us?

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2000

Answers

In my immediate family there are three households with Main Coons, and in each house there is at least one cat who scratches him/herself until either there is a bald spot and in my Izzy's case a wound. The vet ruled out the usual suspects that cause itching like fleas and ear mites. Our vet thinks that it's probably allergies but in order to know for sure we would have to subject the cats to many needles which, in my opinion, is out of the question. My husband and I just try to keep our cats from scratching excessively in one area. Squirt bottles are wonderful training tools that come in handy. My mother-in-law puts a baby shirt on her Main Coon to keep him from pulling the hair out of his back. We have also switched to Iams Lamb and Rice formula wet food. The breeder from whom we purchase our cats said that the Lamb and Rice contains oils that help keep the cat's skin from drying out as much as the other types of food. It doesn't stop the cats from scratching but they do it less often and the result is less severe. I hope this helps.

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2000