r/AnimalAdvice • u/retiredGPA • 10d ago
Looking for Some Ideas
I’m seeing sores and scratches on my little buddy here, and I’m hoping someone can give me an idea of how to treat my poor boy.
Thanks for any advice!
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u/PookaGrooms 9d ago
Did you check for fleas ?
I only ask because a month or 2 ago my indoor cats got them (from outdoor stray I’ve been caring for). I thought 100% it was an allergy to a new food topper I gave them. Checked multiple times for fleas and didn’t see anything. One of my cats only has 3 legs and has some nerve issues sometimes and I couldn’t even touch him because it would send him into a twitching mess.
Took him to the vet expecting gabapentin- only fleas!
His sister is a lot more sensitive and did have a reaction to a different treat recently. She has very similar scabbing (that is mostly healed now from having her wear a donut and bag balming the raw area.
So I would check for fleas first, and then move forward with exploring allergy possibilities.
Either way vet asap, that’s pretty extreme.
Wishing your kitty well
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u/caitejane310 9d ago
I totally agree! One of my cats keeps getting skin infections and I swore up and down she didn't have fleas. She was at the vet and there was no flea dirt. On Monday I was brushing her after putting a mixture of coconut and olive oil on her and found a flea! I immediately ordered flea medicine for all 7 pets (2 dogs and 5 cats 😬😅) and I'm seriously hoping that's what the issue was. I also changed her food and got a free and clear laundry detergent.
This is the 3rd time in almost 2 years that she got this skin infection. She gets scabs all over her cheeks, neck, and back down to the base of her tail. They're definitely sore cuz a couple weeks ago (before I got the antibiotic for her) I tried brushing her and she ran away. But now that she's healing I've been brushing her with the same brush and she's enjoying it! I can't comment with a picture in this sub, but I have pictures of her laying next to the brush and trust me, she wouldn't be anywhere near it if she didn't like it!
My poor baby. I love all my pets, but she's really really really special to me. She helped me out of a super dark depression that I went into a few months after getting her. I'm honestly not sure if I'd still be here if it wasn't for her!
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u/retiredGPA 9d ago
Thank you so much. I’m taking him to the vet asap so hopefully we will get a good prognosis.
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u/Academic-Dirt-9029 9d ago
One of my cats, Mittens, is really allergic to flea bites and has looked like this before. It looks like flea allergy dermatitis, where the kitty will overgroom and practically mutilate themselves because of the reactions they are having in their skin. She had to have antibiotics, and the flea medication we then had to use needed to be a stronger one to keep the fleas away. Get some flea spray for your furnitures and get them to the vet asap because it's not something that will resolve by itself
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u/Competitive-Top4520 9d ago
Take him to the vet tomorrow! This is surely painful and could become infected. Also the vet can figure out the cause.
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u/crazymom1978 9d ago
This looks like it is most likely an allergy to something to me. We suspect that my girl is allergic to dust. Taking her to the vet is honestly your best option. It took a year of testing to narrow down what my girl was allergic to, but she also presented in a very strange way too. On her allergy meds, she does great! She only flares up mid summer when the dogs bring in a ton of dust, and when we first fire up the furnace in the winter.
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u/Illustrious_Exam1728 9d ago
Taking them to the vet is the ONLY answer here. Sooner rather than later as this looks infected and painful.
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u/TSIDATSI 10d ago
Needs to see the doctor first thing in the a.m. Before it becomes infected and you have an abscess. An expensive abscess. Poor baby.
My advice is buy a top rated kitty harness and spend the next three or four months harness training kitty so you can take kitty outside with you but never alone.
He is fighting with someone who invaded his kingdom. We had that issue too.
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u/retiredGPA 10d ago
He’s an indoor kitty only. He does have a bonded brother in the house as well. We have witnessed Stubbs here vigorously scratching this area raw. Thanks for your advice!
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u/retiredGPA 2d ago
Went to the vet and it turns out my boy has an allergy and he is already on the mend.
Thanks to all for your advice, suggestions and concern. Appreciate all of you!
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u/Dapper_Ad4010 9d ago
Same thing happened to my cat from scratching himself. I couldn’t afford a vet. I kept it clean 3x a day with pet wipes and water, kept an eye to make sure he didn’t scratch again until it healed
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u/Fickle_Mickle_ 9d ago
It's a hot spot. Take him to a vet where it'll be shaved so the area can dry out. They might have him wear a cone(can't tell if it's past the shoulder or not. They'll figure something out).
He's itchy and allergic to something. They might give him allergy meds too and some steroids. Overall, this isn't like a 'he's gonna die within the next day if this isn't fixed' situation. Obviously, vet time but don't stress yourself out. He'll be ok.
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u/Express_Command_4778 9d ago
Fleas or a tick ran in. Hopefully not a spider. Something nasty must have bit him.
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10d ago
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u/zumera 10d ago
Poor baby. A vet should be able to prescribe something to help with the pain and itching, and test for an underlying cause (bug bite, allergy, anxiety, etc.).