How to Make a Cat Stop Excessive Cleaning

You may think your cat has fleas or other skin irritation problems when you see signs of excessive cleaning. Although possible, another overlooked problem is stress. Grooming gives cats a sense of security and calm. Thus, if your cat is constantly stressed, over-grooming occurs. Take your cat to the veterinarian's office first to identify any physiological problems such as skin rash or a parasite infestation. After that, change things around your house and some of your habits to help ease your pet's level of stress.

Things You'll Need

  • Cat toys
  • Grooming preventative sprays
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Instructions

    • 1

      Watch your cat carefully through the course of several days to see if certain stimuli cause extreme stress. For example, noises made by appliances such as the microwave or vacuum cleaner can cause high levels of stress. Plan your use of these appliances without your cat present. When using these appliances, keep your cat in a room that is as far away as possible.

    • 2

      Introduce new toys to your cat to increase positive stimuli around the house. Boredom and a lack of stimuli can cause stress and excessive cleaning. Introducing new toys helps keep the cat active and occupied.

    • 3

      Spend more time with your cat, especially if major changes are occurring. A recent move or a new job with different hours can cause your cat's stress levels to increase. Additional time with your cat reassures your pet and reduces stress levels even after your time together ends. Stroking helps as well since this duplicates the same sensation as cleaning.

    • 4

      Place an Elizabethan collar, a cone-shaped device used to prevent animals from licking wounds, on your cat's head to prevent further cleaning. This gives time for improvement of digestive problems caused from eating excessive amounts of hair. It also allows open sores and other injuries to heal. Keep this device on your cat during the daytime until the excessive cleaning stops.

    • 5

      Spray your cat with a grooming prevention spray. These sprays have a bad taste that discourages licking. Apply to problem spots on your cat's body in order to deter further cleaning.

    • 6

      Take your cat into the veterinarian's office again if all else fails. A severe case of stress may require a drug prescription. Another possible problem includes non-visible injuries causing your cat pain. These also require immediate veterinary action.