Skin Diseases of the Cat

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I often receive emails asking about skin diseases of the cat. The following is an example of one such letter. At the end of my answer is a long list of questions about skin conditions of cats. You can click on any of them to be transferred to the page with the full question and the answer to it.

Question I have a fixed male cat named Whiskers. He is about 5 years old. We live in the upper peninsula of Michigan. My question is about a skin condition he seems to have developed.

About 2 months ago, he started licking himself excessively at the base of his tail on his back. He licked so much the hair came off. I purchased an anti-itch hydrocortisone spray and applied as directed and he seemed to improve. But now he seems to be obsessed with licking himself in other areas like his stomach and back. He licks so much he has developed an open sore on his lip. What should I do for this?

Whiskers goes outdoors in the summer and stays indoors in the winter. ANSWER Whiskers has a classic case of flea allergy. Cats that are allergic to fleas can become miserable from just one flea bite. The areas that they scratch and bite the most are the very areas you mention.

Use a product such as Frontline Plus 3pk Cats & Kittens applied once monthly to the back of his neck to kill fleas.

Also, the open sore on his lip is almost definitely not from his licking, but is another allergic reaction to the fleas, often referred to as Rodent Ulcer (eosinophilic ulcer). The steroids will help with that condition also.

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Click below to see questions from other readers.

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Thank You
Meg

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