First, an apology.  I spent 10 days (instead of the 9 I had planned)
visiting my mother in Alaska.  Every since I got back, I've been swamped.
I've peeked in a few times, but just can't keep up with the group.  Purrs,
hugs and sympathy to everyone who needs them.

I'm writing now because of Nanki-Poo.  A few days ago, he came in with a
bald, raw-looking spot on the back of his neck.  It was about an inch long
and 3/4 of an inch wide.  It wasn't actually bleeding, although it looked a
bit oozy in spots.  It looked as though someone, or something, had yanked a
bunch of fur out by the roots.

Nanki-Poo went through a spell of killing a rat every day or two.  There
were some living in the greenery on the fence between my yard and my
neighbor's yard, and a couple of them found their way (or were brought) into
my house.  Apparently he ran out of rats, because I haven't seen one for a
couple of weeks.  However, he's started on birds, and every three or four
days there's another one.  (He always brings them in the house.)

I suspect that a bird retaliated or defended itself, its nest or its young
by yanking the fur out.  I thought about taking him to TED, but I couldn't
see what a vet could do.  Since I'm still paying for Lindy's dental work, I
decided to wait and watch.  A scab had formed by the next day, and it looked
as though healing was going well.  The day after, the scab had come off and
it bled a very little bit.  There's another scab now, but the bald spot is
enlarging.  Does anybody have any idea what could be causing this?  Do I
need to take him to a vet?

Joy