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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / May 2006I have a question
Actually two questions. Ray (My cute little 1 year old male cat) seems to be itching quite a bit in one area. I have no idea why he would be doing this. I've treated him with flea and tick repellent and he's an indoor cat. It's mildly worrying me. The other thing is, I noticed this morning he has a cut right behind his left ear. He is an indoor cat. It doesn't seem to be bothering him much, but at the same time it alarms me (Because I like the little kitty so much and I don't want him getting hurt). I've done a catalogue of the entire apartment and I can't figure out what he got cut on. Should I take him to a vet to take a look at these things? > Actually two questions. > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Should I take him to a vet to take a look at these things? Hi WookieTim! Your kitty should see the vet to see if he has allergies or come sort of contact dermatitis. (That said, I wonder if it is the flea and tick repellent? I would think indoor cats do not need them. Do you have other cats, or dogs? If so, and they go out, maybe he needs the flea stuff. If you do have other cats, maybe that is where the cut came from?) I have a cat that has allergies. She gets bumps on the back of her legs, and she just gets itchy. I take her to the vet for shots that help them, but the shots should be used sparingly due to serious potential side effects. In between if she gets itchy (she scratches the places in front of her ears until she gets little scabs) the vet said I could give her 2 mgs of Cholrtrimeton every 12 hours. (That is half a 4-mg tablet every 12 hours.) Do see a vet, it isn't expensive, and when you do, run that flea and tick stuff by him/her. See if it is necessary. Good luck. You might be right - he might be slightly allergic to the flea and tick stuff. But the problem is, it didn't bother him when I put it on him and it's been two weeks since the last time I put it on him. The reason why I gave him a treatment was because I moved to a new apartment where I have a patio that has wall around it and I wanted to let him explore out there from time to time. I might try to avoid giving him any more treatments for awhile and see if the scratching goes away. I don't have any other pets, so he couldn't have been injured in that way. It worries me, since I work long hours at the office and I don't like the idea that he is getting hurt while I'm here.... Right now I don't really have a whole lot of money, so I can't take him directly to the vets (We are talking just enough to pay for gas and food until next paycheck). But I will try out the idea of not giving him the flea and tick treatment and see if the scratching goes away. > You might be right - he might be slightly allergic to the flea and tick > stuff. But the problem is, it didn't bother him when I put it on him [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > apartment where I have a patio that has wall around it and I wanted to > let him explore out there from time to time. That's nice for him! [... > I don't have any other pets, so he couldn't have been injured in that > way. It worries me, since I work long hours at the office and I don't > like the idea that he is getting hurt while I'm here.... Another idea, though maybe not for right now because you are strapped financially: think about getting your boy a companion at a local shelter, maybe a young adult so you don't have to go through the kitten crazies. It is so nice for them to have company while you are away at work. If you choose a cat, girl or boy, who has been at the shelter for a while, (I am thinking about the "no kill" kind, where they don't euthanize them after three days) they are often really well-behaved cats who are so grateful to have a home, they are a delight. Just an idea, maybe for later, since you work long hours and I am sure you worry about him being lonely. Also, cats who are lonely or upset may over groom and scratch out of neurosis/anxiety. > Right now I don't really have a whole lot of money, so I can't take him > directly to the vets (We are talking just enough to pay for gas and > food until next paycheck). Totally understood, believe me. Try also giving your boy quality canned food when you can, if you are not already, it is not that expensive and I think the extra moisture helps the itchiness. Also, the grains in some dry and cheaper canned foods are very common allergens for cats, so avoiding ingredients like wheat gluten and corn meal might help. Also, the extra protein will make you see a change for the better in his eyes and coat and friskiness. Easy-to-get canned food that fits the bill: Fancy Feast, 40 cents a can at Walmart, but not all varieties. Here are some that I use: Tender Beef and Chicken Feast, Tender Beef Feast, Liver and Chicken Feast and Chopped Grill Feast. At the most you might spend a dollar and twenty cents a day on your boy and I know he is worth that! But I will try out the idea of not giving > him the flea and tick treatment and see if the scratching goes away. It's weird - I tried giving him canned food more than once with different brands and ingredients. He looks at it, smells it, then (Quite literally) he sticks his nose in the air and walked away. The only food he will eat is the "Scientific Diet for Indoor Cats". Of course, I personally don't blame him for not wanting to eat the canned stuff - that food smells and looks like garbage! The cut behind his ear may be from him itching it and his toenail scratched his ear. Have you looked inside his ear? Is it dirty? Could have mites or an ear infection. > The cut behind his ear may be from him itching it and his toenail > scratched his ear. Have you looked inside his ear? Is it dirty? > Could have mites or an ear infection. Good points. I have never had a cat with mites, so I didn't think about that. > > The cut behind his ear may be from him itching it and his toenail > > scratched his ear. Have you looked inside his ear? Is it dirty? [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Inviato da X-Privat.Org - Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php One of my cats caught ear mites from a stray I brought home, he scratched his ear so badly he needed surgery to repair the ear from a hemotoma, now he has one cauliflower ear, I'd suggest getting checked for the ear mites, its not an expensive procedure, but the surgery is. Perhaps on your next pay you can have his ears looked at. The ear itself looks clean, but that is the general area that he scratches a lot, so you might be right. Wookie...@gmail.com wrote: > The ear itself looks clean, but that is the general area that he > scratches a lot, so you might be right. maybe you should dab a mild aneseptic on the scratch... use a cotton ball or someting nothing worse than an ol infected itchy ear... im sure it's burning too if it's even midly infected.. ears are tender i would say use peroxide, but I got my a.s chewed out for posting about having done that once is some mean people on here > It's weird - I tried giving him canned food more than once with > different brands and ingredients. He looks at it, smells it, then [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Of course, I personally don't blame him for not wanting to eat the > canned stuff - that food smells and looks like garbage! yep, looks and smells like poo to me too. But it is MUCH better for him, and might stop him from scratching. A promise: if you can ever get him interested in good canned food, you will see a happier, shinier, healthier cat in three weeks. Friskier too. Do you have a photo site for your kitty? You can make one free at Yahoo. We love pictures! :)
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