Why is my cat biting his lower back near his tail and getting scabs?

These scabs could be caused by scratching, and in cats, the base of the tail is a characteristic spot where cats scratch when they have fleas. If Kenchion isn't up to date on her flea treatments, I would get one now. First, I would give her Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash her bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. Hopefully, this will help clear up the scabs. If it doesn't, then she will need to see the vet. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com

Hi there! The most common cause of excessive itching like this in cats is allergies - either food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment. You may want to talk with your veterinarian about allergy testing to help identify the source of the problem so that you can put together a treatment plan based on this information. If he's allergic to something in his food, he may need to be on a prescription diet like Hills z/d or Purina HA to help resolve the itching. If he has environmental allergies, you could consider hyposensitization injections or long-term daily medication like prednisolone or Atopica.

I suspect these scans are caused from his biting and saliva irritating the skin. The first thing I would do would be have his anal glands checked as impacted anal glands is the biggest cause of dogs biting at their tail/ back end.

Even though you don't see any fleas, your cat could still be having an allergic reaction to fleas. It only takes the bite of one flea to set off the reaction, and itchiness over the base of the tail is classic flea allergic dermatitis. However, dermatitis can be brought on by other skin parasites (mosquitoes, mites, lice), bacterial and fungal skin infections, nutritional imbalances, hormonal imbalances, and autoimmune disorders. Therefore, I recommend that you have your cat examined by your veterinarian for a full clinical work up.

He could have pain in his tail from a skin wound or fracture that is causing him to traumatize his tail. He might also have feline hyperesthesia syndrome, a likely neurologic disease that can result in self trauma. I’d recommend having your vet examine him to see if there is any evidence of other diseases and to discuss starting medication if needed.

Poor kitty! There are a few causes including fleas, environmental allergy and food allergy. Fleas are very suspicious for that region. You can rule them out by using a good flea product like Revolution or Cheristan. You will need to use it for a couple months, if the skin clears up then you know it’s fleas! It sounds like your cat is uncomfortable with the description of chewing off all the hair and the red skin. A visit to your veterinarian can provide some relief with medications. I recommend to have your cat checked out to make him feel better quickly. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Poor Baby! I would talk to your vet about whether a long acting steroid like depo-medrol may be beneficial as long as he is healthy enough and they don't think it will cause it to get worse. I would also make sure he is staying on a monthly high quality flea preventative as this can be a major cause for allergies in cats. Another option would be to ask for a referral to see a dermatologist or to find a alternative vet to discuss acupuncture or herbs as an option. I hope this helps and he starts to feel better really soon!