One of my cats is always licking her stomach and she has lost a lot of fur near her tail. The vet says this is caused by stress, but she doesn't seem very nervous. How can I stop her from licking herself excessively?

Hi
What you are describing is very common in cats that have fleas. Be sure you are using a flea control from a vet - Frontline and Advantage are the best. Even a few bites can cause them to go crazy and overgroom these areas.
Stress is also another cause of this behavior. I recommend trying Feliway Plug-ins for behavior issues in cats. There are so many little things that can cause stress in cats that it's often difficult to pin-point exactly what the problem is. Is there anything new in your house, any schedule or life-style change, new food, etc?
Also be sure your cat is on a good food - I recommend Eukanuba, Iams, or Nutro dry foods. Don't use store-brand foods, and don't switch between brands. This can cause stress to cats.
If you try all of these things and the problem is not getting better, you may want to check with your vet again. Some bloodwork may be in order to rule out or diagnose any disorders such as thyroid disease.
Hope this helps. Good luck.

Hello,

Fleas are the biggest reason for hairloss in cats that we see at our clinic. Even if you don't see evidence of fleas, it only takes one to start the snowball effect.

As Tiger mentioned, using a topical flea control such as Advantage is highly recommended. Unfortunately, this alone will not solve the problem.

Once an allergic reaction to fleas has begun, the best way to get it under control is to get an allergy injection (depo medrol). This will bring immediate relief for your cat and should get the reaction under control quickly.

Feliway is excellent for cats that suffer stress-prone personalities. Also, Rescue Remedy administered by mouth or in water (2 drops once daily) is great for easing anxiety. Rescue Remedy is a homeopathic remedy which is safe for cats and can be found at your local health food store. A bottle is usually about $10 - $15 dollars.

Sometimes dry winter weather can cause itchy skin. Try adding a teaspoon of cod liver oil to your cats diet. Also, feeding a high quality diet such as Iams Hairball will help any skin/hair issues your cat may have.

It certainly doesn't sound like Ringworm, thank goodness! :)

I hope your cat starts to feel better soon.

Regards,

Once you have medically had your cat checked over then you could try Apple Bitters which is sold in pet stores as a deterrent for animals who won't stop scratching/chewing. This might work for your cat. Take care and good luck.