LITTLE ROCK — I have a 14-year-old shorthaired female cat. She is in good health, stays in the house and has no fleas. In the past few months, she has developed bald spots. I brush and comb her four times daily. She eats dry cat food. Twice a day, I give her a tablespoon of wet food. I’ve never noticed her scratching, but the spots look as though the fur has been pulled out. I would take her to the vet, but it’s a battle to get her into the carrier. When I get it out, she hides under the bed. I’m hoping you can give me some information so I won’t have to face the vet visit.
The bald spots you describe could have any number of causes so, although I know you’d like to hear otherwise, your cat needs to be examined by a veterinarian.
Although you’ve ruled out fleas, they still may be a possibility. Another cause of your cat’s problem could be ringworm, a fungal infection that creates ring-shaped bald areas. If not treated, they’ll continue to appear — plus, your cat can pass ringworm to you.
Other possible causes are thyroid problems, an allergy to food or something in the cat’s environment, stress and Cushing’s disease, according to vetinfo.com. All of these must be diagnosed by a veterinarian.
Another reason to take your cat to the vet is simply that she’s 14 years old, which makes her a senior citizen. Senior cats need to be examined twice a year because even issues like a slight weight gain might lead to an early diagnosis of a treatable condition or disease.
Having hauled many cats to the vet, I fully understand your trepidation. But you can do it. The July issue of Catnip contains some guidelines to making a vet visit easier on you and your cat. Start by preparing yourself mentally and remaining calm. Remember that your cat is attuned to your mood, which means she picks up on your anxiety when you’re preparing to take her to the vet.
Before you take the carrier out into the open, find your cat and shut the door to the room she’s in — unless it’s the bedroom where she can hide under the bed — so you won’t have to chase her down at the last minute to get her into the carrier. If she’s in the bedroom, lure her elsewhere using her favorite canned food.
If you don’t have one already, consider buying or borrowing a carrier that can be opened from the top or one with a top that can be removed. You can leave this carrier out, top off, then lift your cat into the carrier and pop the top on. To make this easier, have another person (someone with whom the cat is comfortable) help you by being ready to attach the top to the carrier as soon as the cat is in it.
Talk to your veterinarian about the possibility of giving your cat a mild tranquilizer a couple of hours before the office visit. However, since your cat is elderly and probably hasn’t been to the vet recently, this should be considered a last resort. And keep in mind that your vet may be reluctant to prescribe a tranquilizer until after he has examined your cat.
Until you get your cat to the vet’s office, consider reducing the number of daily brushings to lessen the possibility of further irritating her skin. A gentle brushing once a day should be sufficient. If you and the cat enjoy the brushing sessions so much that you’d rather not cut back, stroke your cat with the smooth back of the brush instead of the bristled side. The motion and contact will still be there, but you’ll eliminate any skin irritation.
Do you have a question about pets? We’ll get you an answer from an authority. Send your question to Rhonda Owen, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or e-mail
Family, Pages 36 on 10/10/2012