My indoor cat has dry, raised skin sores. What's causing them?

Itchy skin like this is often due to one of the following things: 1) Allergies - this can happen suddenly and is usually due to an environmental (i.e pollen) cause. Allergies need to be diagnosed by a veterinarian, because other problems can look similar and the treatment would be different. 2) External parasites - fleas, lice and mites can all cause intense itching. It's best to have a vet check him for mites, because these are microscopic and can cause intense itching. 3) Over-bathing, or using the wrong product for bathing - Bathing too often can cause the skin to get dry and irritated. Cats should normally be bathed no more than once a month with a shampoo that is labeled for cats. If you bathe more than that, or use a shampoo or soap that is meant for people, then you could be damaging the normal protective barrier of the skin. One thing you can do for itchy skin, is give a bath with cool water using an oatmeal or aloe shampoo. You can get these shampoos at the pet store. Do not apply shampoo to the sores - it's better to just flush them with cool water. Considering he is scratching to the point of having open sores, I recommend taking him to the vet for an examination. We can usually discover the cause quickly and provide the most effective treatment. For more information about allergies and itching, I recommend you read the information at the links below. https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-tell-if-your-pet-has-allergies/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/4-great-strategies-for-relieving-your-dog-s-allergies/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/skin-allergies-vs-food-allergies/ I hope that helps and Tito gets better soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Some appear to be infected. This may be from the stress of moving coupled with a new environment and allergens he is not used to. Since they are so wide spread it is best to have him checked for ringworm also. Your vet can prescribe antibiotics to help clear the infection and treat the underlying cause.

There are several things that could cause this. If it is in the location of a joint like an elbow then this could be a callous from laying on hard surfaces and nothing to worry about. Otherwise, this could be a fungal infection (ringworm), a bacterial infection, or simply allergies or dry skin. I would have your vet take a look at it so they can recommend the best oral meds if needed to help her improve. You could also try to bathe her with an oatmeal based shampoo to see if it improves. I hope this helps

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.

This is probably caused by an allergic reaction. first of all make sure you de-flea Maisey once every 3 months with a high quality spot on (ex. Advantage) as fleas are by far the most common reason for these reactions (and it happens to strictly indoor cats as well). 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.

Without seeing these spots on Tony, I can't say for certain what they are, but he could have a skin infection causing them. I would have him seen by a vet first thing on Monday. The vet can diagnose what is causing the spots and can prescribe a treatment for them.