How to Keep a Cat From Scratching Itself

Scratching is a normal part of a cat's behavior, but too much scratching, especially involving an open sore, is detrimental to your feline friend. There are several reasons your cat may be scratching itself, so it's imperative that you eliminate these causes. By doing this, you can prevent your feline from opening up raw skin and allow sores to heal.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Run a comb through your cat's fur to check for fleas. If the comb has little black specks, your cat most likely has fleas. Fleas bite your cat's skin, causing your cat to want to scratch itself. Shampoo your cat with special flea shampoo immediately, since fleas are highly contagious. They can transmit other parasites and infections to dogs and cats and also to humans. Vacuum all the furniture your cat came in contact with as well.

2. Examine your cat's ears if your feline seems to scratch them often. If there's black material in there, it's not ear wax. It could be ear mites. Immediately take your cat to the vet, as ear mites are extremely contagious, not just to other cats but also to dogs and humans.

3. Keep your cat's coat clean by combing its fur. This can prevent your cat from scratching or biting its skin in excess.

4. Check for newly formed allergies that your cat may have. New air fresheners or cleaning chemicals, or a dirty air filter all contain allergens that might bother your feline. By eliminating these allergens, your cat may stop scratching itself.

5. Take your cat to the veterinarian if you can't find the cause of the scratching. Sometimes your feline may need to be on medication to prevent the scratching.

6. Invest in plastic covers for your cat's claws if your cat isn't declawed. These covers usually can be applied with double-sided tape that's included in the box. This won't necessarily curtail the scratching, but it should prevent scabs from forming.

Tips & Warnings

• If your cat habitually scratches itself, it may have a condition called pruritus. This condition is caused by chemical reactions that occur in the skin, stimulating the nerves and causing the brain to feel the itch. There are varying forms of pruritus, but it's best to get the diagnosis from the veterinarian.
• Be careful that your cat doesn't end up with an allergy to the flea medication if it has fleas. Sometimes the medication can bother the cats just as much as the fleas.