15 year old cat licking fur off

[octaviawayne]

My 15 year old male tabby is licking fur off his belly and hind legs. I tried orange bitters, but he would just throw up all over the place....I'm wondering if the new carpet in my apt is the culprit. Or the new cat tree a friend gave me. It was well aired out it had been in storage for over a year, and I shampooed it with cat shampoo and let it dry. Could this be the cause? He is a indoor cat, no flees, no redness or sores were he licks either. I have been in this apt for 5 months now. The licking started 3 months ago! The carpet was brand new when I moved in, of course he has thrown up on it, stains of brown Eukanuba Lamb/rice dry food....Wondering if I should have carpet steamed cleaned to see if that the problem? I use crystal cat litter now. If my cat is licking his belly and I see him doing it I have a 12x12 inch black piece of paper I hold up, when he sees me do this he stops licking and lays down....I have trained him this means stop licking...My next try will be Neoporin I have heard that it works... I hope it works, I will keep posted. 6/11

[Savas]

It could be the carpet, I would try a steam cleaning. It COULD be fleas. just because you don't see them doesn't mean they aren't there. However, a cat tends to lick to the point he/she develops scabbing with a flea allergy.

It could be mange. Sometimes there is no obvious skin irritation. Mange is a parasite, and can also be picked up even if your cat has no outside contact.

If you just got a new cat tree, fleas and mange are both possible. Having worked at a pet store, I can tell you that they are one of the places you can easily bring home a number of easily transmitted parasites.

[Kaydey]

Constant licking to the point of removing hair is not usually an allergy, it is more a sign of depression/anxiety.  Other than moving, what has changed in the daily routine?

Cats lick to clean themselves. With fleas or ticks they chew.  Obsessive licking is a sign of a larger problem, especially if he is licking enough to remove his hair.

It could also be a medical condition. There are several diseases that would make a cat do this, particularly Cushings Disease,  or diabetes

I am not saying this to scare you...just fact.  Both can be treated.  

Take him to the vet.

[Kaydey]

P.S.   Mange is nearly nill in cats.  The only documentations of mange in cats is for cats who have been stray for a very long time.