My indoor cat has bleeding scabs on his head, no fleas. What's wrong?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Typically a flea allergy causes scabs at the base of the tail if a pet is allergic. A flea product (from a vet- not over the counter) would not hurt her, even if there isn't fleas. And even if you don't see a flea, it doesn't mean they aren't there. If it doesn't help, she may need an antibiotic if there is a skin infection. Good luck and kisses to Minxy!

This is probably caused by an allergic reaction. first of all make sure you de-flea Ciciregularly every month with a high quality spot on (ex. Advantage) as fleas are by far the most common reason for these reactions. If the fleas are not the problem, it could be an allergic reaction to food or an environmental factor. this is more complicated to treat and will sometimes require medications such as Steroids, anti histamines or cyclosporin in order to stop the allergy. This isn't an emergency by any means.

Since the lesions are getting worse, I recommend o have Theo examined. It's likely these lesions are infected although something like an allergic reaction, ringworm (which humans can get) or skin mites are also possible. He should also be kept indoors and wear an elizabethan collar until these are healed. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

If you have ruled out fleas/skin mites. I recommend to have him tested for hyperthyroidism and if that's not the cause, have him on a 12 week food trial with a hydrolyzed protein diet. You must start moving down the list of potential causes of the skin lesions. Atopy is still on the list but is harder to test for so rule out these other causes first. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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.

Almost 100% of the time, scabs along the back of a cat is due to a flea hypersensitivity. I would say this is more likely if more than one cats is involved. Cats do not have to go outdoors to get fleas. So, if you don't have them on a good quality flea prevention then this is likely to be the cause. You don't always see fleas on them. Here is a link to an article about skin issues in cats: ( https://www.purina.co.uk/cats/health-and-nutrition/symptoms-to-watch-out-for/cat-skin-problems ) The other most likely option would be a bacterial or fungal infection of the skin. I'm sure your vet will be able to sort this out for you. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

This is a common place for kitties to develop lesions when they are having a chronic allergy. Some possibilities include food allergy, flea allergy, medication allergy, or environmental allergy. The first step is to ensure he is on a good course of flea preventative. Dietary allergies are usually ruled out by performing a diet trial - feeding a special prescription hypoallergenic food for a period of time. If it turns out he has an environmental allergy, he may need seasonal or lifelong allergy treatment. A short course of anti-inflammatory steroid medication may be needed to resolve this inflammation. A local veterinarian can examine Benny and help determine which course of action is best based on his history and what seems the most likely cause.