Why is my cat's fur greasy, scabby, and smelly with skin issues?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. To be honest, the pictures of Kat don’t look that bad to me but I know that in real life things can be different. I’d first try about 300 mg per day of fish oil. This can take a month or two to really help but does often help with things like this. Brushing daily can also help with the greasiness. I see he is a little on the chunky side, so part of the greasiness may be that he is not able to groom that area easily any more. Brushing and weight loss can help there. Finally, there are true skin conditions (oil gland diseases, auto-Immune diseases, mites, infections) that can also cause skin problems like this so if it seems severe, gets worse in any way, or is not improving in 3 weeks, it’s time to see the vet. Best wishes to you and Kat!

It's definitely possible that the salmon oil was the cause of this if he has a diagnosed fish allergy. I recommend discontinuing the fish oil and bathing him every two days with a medicated cat shampoo (can get this at the pet store) to help remove the greasy residue. If this is not cleared within three weeks, or he is having further issues, then it's likely due to something else and will require a veterinarian to accurately diagnose the cause. I hope that helps and Onyx gets better soon.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Smokey! Smokey could be flea allergic, meaning he only needed to be bitten by a single flea and exposed to the saliva which is what flea allergic animals react to. I would still treat him for fleas since he was in the cattery. Otherwise he should see your Vet to treat him for the scabs which may consist of antibiotics and steroids. If not fleas it could be an allergy. Scab formation is common in cats with allergies. Cats metabolize medications differently than people and dogs and only veterinary approved medications should be used. I wouldn't self medicate Smokey. I wish you the best of luck and a speedy recovery!

You could try a shampoo like Duoxo Calm and see if that helps. You could also add an Omega 3 fatty acid like Free Form Snip Tips for cats and see if that helps keep his skin and coat healthy. Otherwise, he should be examined by a vet to determine the cause and treat.

Those spots on your kitty could be just dry skin causing itching bad enough to lose hair (do know that dry skin alone should not cause hair loss) but there are several things including fleas, allergies, skin mites, bacterial infection or endocrine disease which could also look the same way. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. That's great that you are using an omega 3 fatty acid supplement this can help improve the skin health. Make sure it is a formula for pets (better absorption) and you may need to squirt it directly in his mouth. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having your kitty wear an elizabethan collar at all times. If the skin does not start improving within 2-3 weeks or if it is getting worse, have him examined by the veterinarian to look for other causes. Unfortunately, lotions and sprays don;t tend to moisturize as well as supplements and diet. There are some moisturizing sprays and your cat will need to wear an elizabethan collar at all times because otherwise he will lick the product. Moisturizing shampoos and conditions for pets are also an option but not all cats enjoy baths and may bite and scratch their owners. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. From the pictures that you provided my primary suspicions would be a skin infection. There are some things that you can do at home if you are unable to get to a vet right away. I would suggest starting with a shampoo that is medicated such as Duoxo chlorhexidine PS combination and bathe him twice weekly until the infection is resolved. I would also suggest starting welactin omega-3 fish oil and essential 6 Spot On by dermoscent. If there is no improvement then I would see your vet for further testing and treatments. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I am also available via phone or text base consultation if needed

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. From your description, it sounds as though he is dealing with a condition called seborrheic dermatitis. In this condition, there is excessive sebum (the greasy stuff) that accumulates on the skin and hair, leading to inflammation / hair loss. I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at him so that the most appropriate diagnostic testing and treatment recommendations can be made. I would recommend using a shampoo that contains Benzoyl Peroxide (such as Dermabenz) and bathe him twice weekly until this resolves. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further!