seeking input on ointment & possible causes??

[mantheymw@hotmail.comStudent]

Last fall our cat began to chew the fur off her backside at the base of her tail. It got better for a while. Then the problem returned, and she chewed it until she had sores (or blistered sores caused the chewing??) Anyway, it took a couple months to get an appointment with the vet and it was healing up by the time we went in. He was sure it was fleas and prescribed a medication I have had both cats on since. About a month ago (with the flea treatment current) she began chewing again and it as worse than it has ever been.

I wondered if the fleas had become resistant to the flea treatment and tried a different brand that a friend suggested as effective for her cats. Still no improvement…at all. That makes me question that it is actually a flea issue. Since it was about this time last year it began I am wondering if it could be seasonally dry skin or an environmental allergy to something we have going in the mid fall through winter (which is when she was at her worst last year). It did seem to start about a month earlier this year.

Since we have already been the the vet and still have the issue, I am considering seeing what I can do. I thought I’d make an ointment with a lard base (so it’s non-toxic). The herbs I plan to put in it are as follows:

oregano for its antimicrobial properties, plantain to ease the itching, comfrey to promote healing, and cayenne to numb the area and (hopefully) prevent her from further chewing.

My question on the ointment is 1) is anything I’m proposing to include in the ointment toxic to cats? 2) Does this seem like a reasonable blend to address the problem?

I wish I understood the cause because I feel like I am just treating symptoms, but we can’t afford much in the line of vet bills, and since we have been down that road once without success I’m hesitant to pursue that. The flea prescription treatment is quite expensive and if fleas aren’t really the problem I’m not sure it’s necessary.

I’m open to input! We love our kitties and want them healthy and comfortable.

On a side note…I switched their food when they came to live with us. They LOVE Friskies, but that seems like kitty junk-food, so I have been trying to find something they like that is healthier. The vet tech suggested Purina One, which they eat begrudgingly. Lately the female (the one with tail issues) has been enjoying homemade cat food. I puree a Costco rotisserie chicken and freeze dry it. Then I reconstitute it as needed. It seems that it would be healthier than cheap cat food, but could that be a problem??…or better, could I add herbs (maybe alfalfa and nettles) to the pureed chicken to ease any allergies and boost her nutrition? The male cat is unimpressed with Costco chicken. He prefers fresh-caught tuna. So if y’all have suggestions for picky cats, I’m all ears on that topic as well.

[Greg BoggsStudent]

I recall Doc talking about a case with a cat that had similar issues and it wasn’t fleas but a blockage in the cat’s anal glands. Also, cats sense of smell is directly tied to if they see something as food or not. With adding herbs to their food, you have to use really smelly food so they don’t detect the smell of the herbs

[mantheymw@hotmail.comStudentTopic Author]

Thank you for your input. I am pretty sure she has anal gland issues as she occasionally does a “boot scoot” on the carpet. I shared this with the vet as well and he said if she does it consistently it could be worms or such, but if she does it periodically it is probably her anal gland. However, while the chewing starts at the base of her tail, she works quite high up her back. If the irritation was primarily her anal gland I would expect it to be more localized. I realized, after reading your reply, that I had not indicated the extent of the chewing, and honestly, I think her anal gland may be a contributing factor.

I have a funny kitty in that she really enjoys some culinary herbs. Unfortunately, she loves onions and garlic, which are not good for kitties. I have not tried some other herbs that may be helpful, but perhaps she would eat them if it was in her chicken treats?? Thank you very much for your input. 🙂

[JoelleStudent]

You’ve got quite a situation going on there! I can completely resonate with trying to do as much care at home to keep the vet bills down. Like Greg mentioned, Doc has talked about cats having trouble with their anal glands not draining properly and causing symptoms like that. You might research that. I remember Doc saying that you can give the cats canned pumpkin which, as it goes through the digestive system, helps facilitate natural drainage. I wonder if adding calendula to your herb mix could be beneficial. I know that I have found it to be quite healing to skin and it has antimicrobial properties. I also remember chickweed being good for itching. The cayenne seems to be easy to over-do. My dad used it on something externally and pretty soon found the region to feel on fire! In that area of the body, that could be a pretty miserable experience for your kitty. Anyway, those are my thoughts.

[mantheymw@hotmail.comStudentTopic Author]

Thank you for the idea of pumpkin! I know she has some anal gland issues and adding a bit of our homegrown, organic, delicious pumpkin to her chicken treats may be helpful.

I recall Doc Jones saying that sometimes the medical (veterinary) professionals are great at diagnosing. I think I will take her back to the vet and see if I can find out what is causing the itching and then go from there. It goes quite high up her back, so I don’t think it is only an anal gland issue.

I appreciate your input!

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