Poor Scabby

Why would anyone be so cruel as to name their cat Scabby, you ask?

Well, were you to be in my house during the Fall allergy attack season, and see the scab-riddled tumbleweeds of cat fur that our poor kitty is leaving everywhere, then you'd understand. It is disgusting.

We have tried everything to help alleviate her itchy skin. She is so neurotic that any kind of topical treatment (baths, creams, etc.) is seen as an attack, and results in a psychosomatic cascade of even more scratching. We even spent several years giving her allergy shots. Nothing has helped.

She just saw the vet two weeks ago, when she only had a few minor gashes. The vet was relieved; she thought that this might be the year Scabby wouldn't have to go on steroids and antibiotics in order to survive her allergies. But then we went on vacation, and send her kitty neuroses into a tailspin.

It helps greatly if she gets an excess of calm, quiet snuggling and petting, but neither Seymour nor I enjoy fondling scabs.

Poor, poor kitty. She has been like this for the entire nine years since we adopted her.