When a cat licks itself bald - thinning fur on the belly, inner thighs or tail base, short broken hairs, patches of skin showing through - it is hard to know whether things are getting better or worse from memory alone. Overgrooming has many possible causes, from fleas and allergies to pain and stress, and your vet will work out which it is. PetHealthLog lets you keep a clear record alongside that: log the licking, mark the bald patches, note the triggers and any treatment your vet set, and watch the trend. Free, no account, works offline.
Start tracking - it's freeOvergrooming is one of those signs that looks behavioural but often is not. Fleas and other parasites, allergies, skin infections and pain can all drive a cat to lick a patch raw, and vets generally rule those physical causes out before treating it as stress-related. So the first move is a vet visit, not a guess - and a few things worsening, like sores, redness or a cat that seems unwell, are reasons to go sooner.
Where a record earns its keep is everything after that. Whatever the cause turns out to be, the plan plays out over weeks, and "is it actually getting better?" is a hard question to answer from memory. A dated log of the grooming, the patches and what you have changed turns it into something you and your vet can actually read.
PetHealthLog is free, asks for no account and works offline, so each note lands in one place. The tracker keeps the record - your vet keeps the diagnosis.
A log only helps if it is quick to keep and matches the plan your vet gave you. Here is how PetHealthLog handles a cat that is overgrooming.
Note how much the cat is grooming, licking or pulling fur each day. That turns a vague "I think it is a bit less" into a real trend you can actually see over the weeks.
Record which areas are affected - belly, inner thighs, tail base, legs - and how they look. Watching the same spots over time shows whether the fur is starting to regrow or the patch is spreading.
Jot down anything that might matter - a house move, a new pet, a change in routine - and the changes you have made. Over time the notes can hint at a pattern to raise with your vet.
Log the flea or parasite treatment, diet change or medication your vet set, and tick each one as you do it, so the record matches the plan and a missed step is obvious.
Export a clean PDF of the grooming, the patches, the triggers and the trend, so the next conversation starts from a real record - not a guess about how the last few weeks went.
Whatever the cause turns out to be, the medication and the plan are your vet's department - but day to day, the work is often keeping the flea prevention up to date, keeping the routine calm and consistent, and giving an indoor cat enough to do. The everyday things owners reach for are a flea comb to check for parasites, a calming pheromone diffuser for a more settled environment, puzzle feeders and toys for enrichment, and a soft recovery suit if your vet suggests protecting a sore patch.
These search links show popular options on Amazon. They are just the everyday extras some owners use - the cause, the medication and the plan all come from your vet.
Flea combs → Calming diffusers → Puzzle feeders → Recovery suits →#ad - affiliate links: as an Amazon Associate, PetHealthLog may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Informational only, not veterinary advice. These do not treat the cause of overgrooming - use any flea product, calming aid or recovery suit on your vet's advice.
Overgrooming notes are the kind of thing you jot down in passing - you catch the cat at it, or notice a patch looks bigger, and you want to mark it before you forget. The last thing that should stand in the way is a login screen or a dead signal.
PetHealthLog stores everything locally on your device. There is no account to create, nothing is uploaded to a server, and there is no tracking. It opens instantly, lets you add a note whether or not you are online, and keeps the data yours. You can export a backup any time and restore it on another phone.
Free, offline, and ready the moment you open it.
Start with PetHealthLogFleas are a common cause of overgrooming - keep the prevention on schedule and rule them out.
Another stress-linked condition - track the flares and the calming routine alongside it.
Keep the play, climbing and enrichment consistent for a more settled indoor cat.
If your vet prescribes medication, keep every dose on schedule in one place.
Another cause of hair loss - track a contagious, multi-week treatment course until it clears.