If you were unaware there are some pretty common cat skin issues you might look out for. If you find that your cat is grooming themselves more than usual, itching a lot, or has bald patches in their fur, you might have a skin issue. Your cat might have a food allergy, has a few fleas or ticks, or even a fungal or bacterial infection going on. Being proactive is key, and a simple diagnosed and treatment can get your feline feeling good in no time. I’m sharing common cat skin issues and how to tackle them.
One of our friend’s cats had horrible skin issues. I remember I was scared to pet it because it had big patches of skin missing from excessive scratching or licking. Turns out the cat had a simple food allergy. Once they transitioned her over to a new food her coat was shiny and she was a beautiful healthy cat. I would have never thought food could affect a cat’s coat, but it truly can. I then learned real quick that if a cat had some major itching going on, there was a good chance it might be more than just fleas.
Different Types of Cat Skin Issues
Food Allergy
Like I mentioned above if you find your cat has some open sores from excessive scratching, swelling of eyelids, they might be allergic to something in their food. If your cat has gotten really bad, your vet might opt to give steroid shots to help ease the symptoms quicker. If the vet suspects food allergy you might slowly transition to a new brand and see if symptoms subside.
Ringworm
I am sure if you have a cat or been around one you have heard of ringworm. Your cat will have round patches of hair gone and the skin will look red, puffy and might even scab or ooze. This is contagious so your cat will need to be separated from other pets until they heal. Your feline will need a trip to the vet for some antifungal medication and you will want to deep clean your home. If you don’t clean well you will spread the ringworm and risk your cat or a family member getting it.
Fleas
Fleas can become a nuisance pretty quickly. They leave scratchy bites that leave your poor kitty scratching away. The bad part is fleas can transmit parasites (like tapeworms) and that adds a whole new dimension to the mix. Make sure you treat your cat with medicine from the vet or natural treatments. Then deep clean your home as flea eggs can be in bedding, your carpet, and more.
Ear Mites
Generally, you see ear mites in young kittens but know it can affect any age of the cat. Your cat might shake their head a lot, constant scratching of the ears, you might even see bleeding from bursting blood vessels. You can get topical creams and ear drops at the vet. Ear mites are highly contagious so if you have multiple cats you need to treat all of them.
Allergies From Environment
Just like humans, your feline might be allergic to dust, grass, mold, etc. A lot of times cats will have patches of hair missing where they are scratching or even over grooming. To get diagnosed if allergies your cat will need a trip to the vet. They can give medications to help soothe the symptoms or you can adjust their environment if possible as well.
Blackheads
Your cat can get a breakout of blackheads on their chin that can be painful. You have to trim back hair and clean the area with a special medicine to help pull out the blackheads. The vet clinic can help you with this. While for humans it’s annoying for acne to pop up but in cats, it can be painful, leave them pawing at the face and even scratching for relief.
Has your cat ever had any of these cat skin conditions? If so which ones?
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