shaking legs, black spots, hair licking

Question
I have a female calico cat.  She is aproximately 4 or 5 yrs old.  She has started shaking in her hind legs when she walks. She has also started licking her fur off her legs and spots on her tail.  The other thing I noticed is recently she has been getting these black things in her skin on her chin.  She doesn't have feas or any allergies. What could be causing all of this?

Thanks
Rachel

Answer
Hi Rachel.  The black flecks sound like they're caused by feline acne.  This is similar to human acne.  It's the result of blocked pores.  It's very common and is usually related to the cat's food bowls.  Plastic encourages the problem.  Stainless steel usually resolves it.  It's also important to wash the bowls with hot, soapy water daily.  When the cat rubs her chin on her bowl, oil is deposited.  Next time she goes to eat, this oil is redeposited on her chin, and it worsens the problem.

Feline acne rarely becomes a problem, but pores can become impacted, infected and painful.  In this case, an antibiotic or a skin scrub may be warranted.

The licking problem and the shaky legs she should see a vet for.  It certainly sounds to me like a neurological problem or severe pain are the cause of the shaking.  Only a vet could say.  The underlying issue could include early arthritis, feline thromboembolic disease (blood clots often located in the artery that supplies blood to the hind legs), parasites such as toxoplasma, even lead poisoning.

Her licking the fur off her hind quarters is very possibly related to the unpleasant sensations she's feeling in that area.