Case Report
A case of tail self-mutilation in a cat
Zita Talamonti * ,
Simona Cannas ,
Clara Palestrini

Mac Vet Rev 2017; 40 (1): 103 - 107

10.1515/macvetrev-2016-0098

Received: 05 July 2016

Received in revised form: 17 October 2016

Accepted: 28 November 2016

Available Online First: 15 December 2016

Published on: 15 March 2017

Correspondence: Zita Talamonti, zita.talamonti@unimi.it
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Abstract

The present report describes a case of distal tail self-mutilation in a 5-year-old neutered male domestic short-hair cat. The cat started licking his tail few months before the behavioural visit. Because of the severity of the self-induced injuries, the veterinarian performed a surgical partial caudectomy. After 3 months, the excessive self-grooming of the tail recurred. Neurological and dermatological examinations, radiographs, urine and blood tests did not show any abnormalities. During the behavioural visit, through direct observation of the cat’s posture and behavioural history, the pet received a diagnosis of psychogenic alopecia. The cat was treated with clomipramine for 2 months (0.5 mg/kg/PO SID) along with behaviour modification and environmental changes. After 1 month, the cat no longer showed excessive self-grooming. Even if no other systemic pathologies were identified, it is always recommended to address these patients with a multidisciplinary approach.

Keywords: cat, compulsive behaviours, psychogenic alopecia, self-directed behaviours, caudectomy

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Copyright

© 2016 Talmonti Z. This is an open-access article publishedunder the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License whichpermits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,provided the original author and source are credited.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declared that they have no potential conflict of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

Citation Information

Macedonian Veterinary Review. Volume 40, Issue 1, Pages 103-107, p-ISSN 1409-7621, e-ISSN 1857-7415, DOI: 10.1515/macvetrev-2016-0098, 2017

The all content of the Macedonian Veterinary Review, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.