Skip to main content

Pet Insurance policies are underwritten by Independence American Insurance Company.

Figo Pet Insurance Logo
  • Pet Insurance
    • Dog Insurance
    • Cat Insurance
    • Coverage
    • Compare
    • FAQs
  • Pet Cloud
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
Get a Quote
Figo logo

  • Login
  • Dog Insurance
  • Careers
  • Found a lost Figo pet?
  • About Us
  • Cat Insurance
  • Blog
  • FAQs
  • Employers
  • Veterinarians
  • Compare
  • Maine Residents
  • California Privacy

Subscribe to our newsletter

  • Instagram logo
  • facebook
  • tiktok
  • Twitter

No one is permitted to sell, solicit or negotiate an insurance policy without a producer license in the state in which the plan is sold, and all prospects should be directed to Figo Pet Insurance. The information contained in this website is for illustrative purposes only and coverage under any pet insurance policy is expressly subject to the conditions, restrictions, limitations, exclusions (including pre-existing conditions), and terms of the policy documentation issued by the insurer. Availability of this program is subject to each state’s approval and coverage may vary by state. Coverage underwritten by Independence American Insurance Company (IAIC), a Delaware Insurance Company, 11333 North Scottsdale Road Suite 160 Scottsdale, AZ 85254. Live Vet and the Figo Pet Cloud are separate non-insurance services unaffiliated with IAIC. Figo Pet Insurance's California license number is 0K02763.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • Terms of Use & Licensing
  • Insurance Fraud Warnings
  • Underwriting

Copyright © 2015-2023 Figo Pet Insurance LLC. All rights reserved

Cat’s excessive grooming cause for concern

March 7, 2017

Abnormal grooming habits in cats, can signal underlying health and behavioral issues. In this blog, Dr. Lee discusses a cat’s excessive grooming with concerned pet parents.

Cat’s excessive grooming cause for concern

Q: Our cat Pussir licks all the hair off his groin and the insides of his legs. He wears a flea collar and is treated regularly for intestinal worms. Could he have an allergy or mites? My husband thinks he’s just bored. What can we do for Pussir?

A: Alopecia, or hair loss, has many causes. Research shows that psychogenic alopecia, which is hair loss due to boredom, anxiety or some other psychological problem, is rare in cats.

Therefore, Pussir’sexcessive grooming probably has a medical cause. Your veterinarian or a board-certified veterinary dermatologist can do some testing to determine what’s bothering him.

Excessive grooming often is triggered by itchiness. Common causes are allergies to particular food ingredients, flea saliva, pollens or other environmental substances. Mites, which also make cats itchy, sometimes aren’t evident on skin tests but show up during fecal testing, so take a fresh stool sample to your vet appointment. Lice and a fungal infection called ringworm are additional possibilities. 

Another cause of excessive grooming is discomfort. For example, a cat with bladder pain or impacted anal sacs may lick the groin, the same way humans might rub a sore area.

While boredom probably isn’t the cause of Pussir’s hair loss, it’s still important that he have lots of mental stimulation. 


Lee Pickett, V.M.D. practices companion animal medicine in Pennsylvania. Contact her at askdrlee@insurefigo.com.