My cat fought a stray. Is head dandruff a sign of skin disease?

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!

I'm sorry but those things can't be distinguished between from a photo. It could be from a fight or some other type of injury or it could be from parasites (like fleas). There is no way for me to tell. You are best off taking her to the vet (or have a mobile vet come to you). Regardless of the underlying cause she is going to need some treatment (probably antibiotics at the very minimum). Hope this helps. Best wishes.

It could possible be a wound from a cat fight, but other possible causes for a spot that looks like this include an eosinophilic granuloma, tumor, abscess, among a few other things. If it doesn't go back to normal in a couple days, or if Felix isn't eating like normal, he should get checked out by a vet. Here is an article with more information on eosinophilic granulomas: https://www.petcoach.co/article/eosinophilic-disease-in-cats/

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There is a variety of reasons that can explain alopecia or hair loss. The causes can easily be differentiated by the clinical signs associated with it and the physical exam findings. If Freckles is only showing some hair loss without scratching or overgrooming then it could conditions such as alopecia areata that can affect cats and usually resolves on its own. If there is evidence of scratching and you start noticing some redness or irritation associated with it, then other conditions such as allergies are possible. If you notice him overgrooming himself in that area then it could be something like psychogenic alopecia which is more of a behavioral issue. I think that since he is not having overt clinical signs and it is mostly hair loss, I think it is possibly transient and could resolve on its own. You can monitor this closely and if it does not resolve or it worsens then have him examined by your veterinarian. Good luck!

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Zack! I agree, I think he may have an underlying skin issue! He could have allergies or fleas that are causing the scratching. He could also have ring worm or a mite infection. Regardless of the cause I think Zack should see a Veterinarian as soon as you can! I can't imagine he isn't miserable by the look of things and the Vet can helps him feel better! I hope this helps and I wish Zack a speedy recovery!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This looks like dandruff from this picture, however if the white specks appear to be moving or jumping, then may be lice. I recommend giving the cat a bath with warm water to rinse off any dandruff. You can use a small amount of dawn dish soap too, but be VERY careful to not get any soap near her eyes. I hope this is helpful!

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. This looks like flea dirt. If you put "cat flea dirt" into a Google search you will see many photos that resemble this. I suggest you get her a GOOD flea prevention and treat your house and/or yard for fleas. You can bathe her if she will let you with Dawn dish soap. Use the dish soap sparingly as it is very concentrated. Be sure to rinse it off thoroughly. You should only need to bathe her once. Bathe her either 24 hour before OR after applying the topical flea medication. If you can't bathe her, don't worry too much about it. Once the medication kicks in and you treat the environment her clinical signs will resolve. I have linked some products for you below: ( https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/223965_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=120766 ) ( https://www.amazon.com/Virbac-Knockout-Treatment-Spray-16-Ounce/dp/B00AT6FY6A/ ) ( https://www.amazon.com/Black-Flag-Killer-Concentrate-Treatment/dp/B071XPK8M8/ ) Be sure to continue to use a topical flea prevention on her EVERY MONTH. Watch her poop closely in the coming months as often cats will get tapeworms from ingesting fleas. If you see any worms (look like grains of rice) on her poop or around her anus you should take her to your vet to get a dewormer. Hope this helps. Best wishes.