No expense be spared to provide for the comfort of King Arthur!

But sometimes he licks until it’s pink. I just started just brushing him with his favorite boar’s bristle brush when I see him doing it and he stops and forgets all about it. Just a compulsion with him I think. I hope it’s nothing worse

(obviously a concept we humans can't relate to, eww!) so even if it isn't itchy maybe he licks more than necessary for hygiene purposes, and that causes the irritation and inflammation. I once had a cat who licked a big patch of fur off his belly repeatedly. The vet explained that he (the cat, not the vet) started licking because of some irritation and then had got used to doing it. It did take several cortisone treatments and the Cone of Shame for him to finally stop.

And when I do, I gently try to distract him.

I'm just going to try leaving him in it for today and see if things stay as they are. He doesn't really seem at all uncomfortable, like he was with the cone collar.