My cat licks all the time -

Question
  Hi tomay,

  My cat has a problem.  He's a mixed breed about 6 years old.  He licks himself all the time and is licking off his fur.  The poor guy - he's driving me crazy and I'm sure it's uncomfortable for him also.  Could it be he needs a bath?  Change his food?  I haven't given him a bath in about 2 years.

  Thanks very much,

Michael

Answer
Hello Michael,
Your cats problem could be a combination of the things you mentioned.  A bath certainly could'nt hurt.  Sometimes skin irritations or allergies will cause excessive licking.  And also diet can certainly come into play.   There are foods on the market designed specifically for coat and skin.  One such cat food is 'Precise'.  You can find it at your local pet shop (not the corporate chain stores).  Diet can make the difference in healthy skin and coat.While the higher quality food can seem like a bigger investment, the fact is that more nutrients are absorbed for use by the body, and less is filtered into waste.  What that equates to, is less consumption and less in the litter box.  So it actually comes out more economical than feeding a cheaper food made primarily with fillers and poorer quality ingredients.  I know that with Precise, you should notice results in as little as two weeks.  If, after a diet change and a good bath (if you do it yourself, be sure and RINSE very very well, as any soap residue left can make the skin very itchy and will make the problem worse) he still seems to have this problem, it might be time for a vet visit.  
Hope this has been helpful.
Thank you for your inquiry,
Tomay