How do I keep my cat from obsessive cleaning?

by Christine
(Old Bridge, NJ, USA)

A few years ago my cat got a flea on her from another cat trying to attack her through my apt window.

My cat is an indoor only cat. She was allergic to the flea and got those bumps on her skin. Once the flea was gone so were the bumps but she began to obsessively clean herself to the point of chewing off her own fur on only her stomach and back of her hind legs.

A year later I moved in with my mom who had 4 cats of her own so I brought my cat to my cousins and her fur grew back. About 3 months later, my cousin couldn't keep her so I moved her into my mom's house. We kept the cats separated since my cat has her claws and the others didn't. My cat then began to chew her fur off again.

The vet felt it was the stress of the other cats being there but yet she wasn't mixed with them. He gave me medication that would calm her down so she wouldn't feel the need to clean but it made her all druggy and didn't keep her from her obsessive cleaning and fur-chewing. I recently moved into a new apt where she is no longer around those cats.

I don't know what to do. It's getting worse. If its due to stress, I don't want to take her to the vet again. That trip stresses her out enough. I also don't want her on more meds that are gonna drug her up.

Is there something natural that will relax her? Please help, she looks silly with a naked belly.