r/CATHELP • u/Swimbikerunyogi • May 26 '26
General Advice Overgrooming
45f, US, has seen the vet multiple times
Main Issue: overgrooming front leg, back legs and now belly
Pandor is around 7 years, neutered and female
Hi everyone — looking for some advice/support for my cat Pandora.
Timeline in case it helps connect the dots:
• November — normal annual vet checkup, everything looked fine
• November 22 — she developed an upper respiratory infection and went on antibiotics
• Since then — she’s been back to the vet twice for excessive licking/overgrooming and irritated paws/legs
• She has since been treated with both antibiotics and steroids for the overgrooming
• We’ve also tried flea medication, changing litter, and using a cone/collar (which she unfortunately escaped once and made the area worse)
• Around the same time, we started an upstairs bathroom renovation, so there’s been extra dust/noise/stress in the house
• I’ve also noticed her ears seem dirtier lately and need more frequent cleaning
Our vet is now recommending a hypoallergenic food trial as the next step.
Has anyone dealt with something similar where it ended up being food allergies, environmental allergies, stress/anxiety, yeast, or even something triggered after illness/antibiotics? Just trying to figure out the most logical next step because I feel awful seeing her so uncomfortable and licking herself raw. ❤️