My cat has a hard bump, scab, and blisters on her neck. What is it?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Skin lesions like you are describing can have a variety of causes, including skin parasites (fleas or mites), an infection (bacterial or fungal), allergies, or another underlying medical issue. I would recommend he be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause for his skin lesions, so he could start any treatment (antibiotics, anti-itch medications, parasiticide) that he may need. In the meantime, I would clean the area will diluted betadine if possible and then keep it dry, and trim his nails back as much as possible to keep him from scratching at it. Good luck!

It looks like she make have gotten a small wound on her head, maybe from getting swatted by another cat. Cat claws and bites tend to make wounds with small holes that seal over and trap bacteria inside. This will form a small abscess which will then rupture, which is what this appears to be to me. Keep an eye on it and keep it clean with a washcloth, warm water and a mild soap. Clean it two or three times a day and make sure to get all the soap off or it will irritate her skin. As long as it continues to improve and she is acting fine, eating and drinking, she should be fine. If it closes up again, swells, gets really red, hot, or if she starts acting sick or loses her appetite, get her in to see you vet as soon as possible as she may then need antibiotics to clear up the infection and heal.

Is it a scab which could be related to a scratch or an infection. Without being able to move the hair around and feel the area, it's hard to say. Monitor it closely. If it is still there in 2 weeks or if it starts looking worse at any point, have your kitty examined. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to see the scab in this picture but I can see that Zoey is a cutie! This scab could be due to a mild infection or perhaps some mild traumatic lesion. You can consider just monitoring for now if it is just one. If this gets worse or just does not resolve, have her evaluated by your veterinarian then. I would not recommend any products or treatments yet as this may resolve on its own depending on its severity. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi and thank you so much for your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to say exactly what it may be sight unseen (can't get a good look or feel from the picture), I can certainly offer a few possibilities. It may be just a scab from playing rough or bumping into something. It also could be a small abscess from one of her vaccines she received previously-that sometimes can happen and is quite common. Another possibility would be a bite wound from another cat or a fungal or bacterial infection. If the lesion feels like little millet seeds, it could be a flea allergy (especially if she is not receiving a month to month flea preventative). If it gets worse or does not improve in a few days, I would bring her into her primary care veterinarian an exam and diagnostic testing. Best wishes to you and Biscuit!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Blazko. Poor boy. This could just be from an injury. Given there is no sign of infection, I'd monitor it for now. If it does appear infected (pus, redness, swelling, warmth to the touch), then I'd have him checked out by a vet. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely a skin infection which may be secondary to something like allergies. The infectious component would have to be taken care of but it is crucial to take care of the possible allergy as well so this does not continue to happen. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his 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!