care of cats - scratching/biting own skin

Question
My youngest cat Missy (almost two years old) has started spending a lot of time biting and scratching herself. She doesn't appear to have any fleas, and my other two cats don't either. She has a couple of bald, sore patches on her sides, and the base of her tail is now bald.
What is her problem? What treatment does she need? Is it serious? Should I take her to a vet?

Thank you very much for your help. I really appreciate it.

Maggie King

Answer
Sometimes these cats that pull their hair out are stressed out from something.  It could be one of the other cats or the placement of food bowls or litter pans.  Has there been a change in the household recently?  If there is an itchiness to the skin, the vet can give a shot to take that away.