Why is my cat bald, discolored, and hiding after wax exposure?

It can still be stress even if Leo has free range. Other animals can stress him out. It could also be due to fleas, mites, allergies, or medical problem. It's concerning he is limping, which means he is in pain. Do not give him any human pain medications, many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. I would take him into a vet first thing in the morning. Best of luck.

Good morning! I'm doing well thank you, I hope you are doing well too. During the night, Leo could have injured himself. I'd just keep an eye on it for now. If it gets worse or starts to bother him, then have him seen by a vet.

Leo's skin could look like that for any of the reasons you listed and add skin mites to the list as well. The problem with skin conditions is that they all clinically look the same. Diagnostics or sometimes a response to treatment is the only way to know what is the underlying condition. For a young cat like Leo, fleas, skin mites or ringworm is more common but allergic reactions are not impossible. That lesion on his head looks pretty inflamed. if you don't see any obvious cause like fleas, I recommend to have him examined by his veterinarian. The veterinarian who will look for other clues on the physical exam to get a better idea what the underlying cause is. Ringworm and mites can be ruled out with some simple diagnostics and he can receive medication to heal the lesions. You may start an omega 3 fatty acid for cats as this can help with inflammation and skin health but it may not fix the problem. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

If Gatsby eats the wax, it will likely just pass naturally. You can try to get the wax out by breaking most of it off. If you take Gatsby to a groomer on Wednesday or a vet, they may be able to shave off the hair.

Poor cat! If the wound is growing in size, it's time to go to your vet. Problems such as allergies to parasite bites, fungal infections such as ringworm, infections of the skin, abscesses/sores etc can all be potential causes which is why a vet visit is needed to determine the cause, provide treatment such as pain meds and antibiotics, etc. Until you can get to your vet, keeping the area clean and dry may help as well as preventing your cat from licking, but if he is acting ill and hiding away he is likely already painful or worsening so needs care.

It's difficult to say whether or not the visit to the groomer could be related to his current clinical signs. Many animals can pick up a bug at the groomer due to the all the different animals going in and out of those areas. It can also be extremely stressful for animals, cats in particular. Stressed out animals have a lowed immune system, making them more susceptible to catching something. I would also do a very thorough check of him to make sure the groomer didn't accidentally cut him or cause him pain on any part of the body. Check the bottoms of the feet as well since you were mentioned them as an area the groomer was working on. From the picture, it also looks like Fella's tummy is really round, It could just be the angle or his weight, but this would be another area that might be worth looking at it if you decide to visit a vet about his current issue.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Leo's behavior persists for longer than 2 days then he should see a vet. It is possible that he got bitten by something but I feel that it is probably not likely. If he is not neutered I would suspect this may have something to do with hormones. Any stray cats hanging around outside? Any abnormal behavior should be investigated if it persists. Hope this helps. Best wishes.