Hi Deb! Your vet stated your cat is loosing her fur because you are running your furnace in the winter, that is why your cats skin is dry. Well, I also live in the north, we run our furnace. All six of our cats hug the registers & none of them have dry skin or are chewing their fur off. What type of dry food & canned food are you feeding your cat? My opinion is that your cat might have an allergy to the food, or something within the food. Do you spray anything on the carpets prior to vacuuming, or spray anything on your furniture, or anywhere your cat lays? Again it may be allergies. What I myself would do, is take the cat to another vet for a 2nd opinion. I feel that you do not have to notify your 1st veterinarian. And the medication which the vet gives you for the cat, only use that! Never, never use human medication on animals. Or, find a 24 hour veterinarian hospital near you, even if it is a 1 hour drive away. Call & ask them if you can bring your cat in for a 2nd opinion, as what your original vet stated to do, is not helping & you are worried about your cat. They just may tell you to bring in your cat asap. I hope I was a little bit of help for you. Please keep us informed about what the 2nd vet or vet hosp told you. Also, please use any creams, medications they give you (not humans); & if they do not offer the neck collar/cone. Ask them if you can buy one, so your cat does not lick off the cream. And even if your cat looks uncomfortable in the cone, do not remove it & listen to what the vet advises you regarding the cone, etc. My dog had to wear a neck cone, so he wouldn’t lick off the medication & he didn’t like it one bit. But it stayed on him, & I put on his medication & he healed nicely. And as for your cat licking off the cream. You can easily buy a feline neck collar; either directly from a vet OR from an online animal pet supply site. (They always remind me of elizabethean collars). This way, your cat will not be able to lick off the cream.