Could my cat's hot spot on her neck be making her sick and withdrawn?

Poor cat! If the wound is growing in size, it's time to go to your vet. Problems such as allergies to parasite bites, fungal infections such as ringworm, infections of the skin, abscesses/sores etc can all be potential causes which is why a vet visit is needed to determine the cause, provide treatment such as pain meds and antibiotics, etc. Until you can get to your vet, keeping the area clean and dry may help as well as preventing your cat from licking, but if he is acting ill and hiding away he is likely already painful or worsening so needs care.

I'm not sure that's a hot spot. That looks more like an abscess, a ruptured cyst or perhaps and infected laceration. I recommend to have Stripes examined by the veterinarian. She may need an antibiotic. She should wear an elizabethan collar at all times to prevent any licking which could make the lesion worse. A visit to the veterinarian and getting medication will assure the most complete and fastest healing process. If she cannot get to a veterinarian, please post again with the photo of the wound and a photo of the back of the hot spot spray so one of us can see the ingredients. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Ouch! Those are some major hot spots in that photo. I would recommend having Lili seen by your vet so the area can be clipped and cleaned and any medications such as pain or antibiotics can be given to help it heal a bit faster. I'd also keep Lili from scratching or pawing at it as this can introduce bacteria and more inflammation which can slow healing. If only Lili is affected and you're not noticing other issues like parasites, etc, it is possible there is an allergy underlying. She could be rubbing up against something causing the itchiness, or could have an ingredient allergy to something in her food (or a treat if the spots correspond with intermittent feeding of a treat or wet food). Other issues such as an underlying illness like an immune or metabolic issue can also cause scabbing and skin issues that affect only one cat in the household. A vet visit is a good option at this point both to treat the current scabs and to see if a food trial, allergy meds, or additional testing such as bloodwork to rule out any underlying health issues may be beneficial in finding the cause.

It's impossible to know based on pictures but because of the extensive areas it is affecting i strongly recommend taking her to the vet in order to get it treated as it is likely to be allergy related and you won't be able to fix it on your own.

Poor guy. This is what we call a "hot spot". This is an infection of the skin usually caused by some kind of trauma to the skin. You can try cleaning this with Betadine diluted 50:50 to help antiseptically clean the area. THen apply a "hot spot spray" from your local pet store. It must be labeeld safe for cats, since they do tend to lick and groom themselves often. IF this does not improve within 2-3 days however, I would suggest taking Anbuis to your vet for stronger antibiotics to help this clear up. Best of luck and I hope that Anubis's wound heals soon!

Thank you for your question about Oliver. I doubt it's a hot spot as you mentioned he has had it for some time. Some things like mite infections, on going allergies or even something like a eosinophilic granuloma can all have this type of appearance and history. While you can try an at home treatment, it may not work as certain conditions need medications in order to clear. If you want to try anything at home, you first need to protect the area from trauma (Oliver's tongue is very rough) by making Oliver wear and elizabethan collar at all times. Try to wash the area daily with an antibacterial hand soap (rinse it well) as long as Oliver tolerates it. Cats can strike out when they are stressed so make sure to not get bitten or scratched. Alternatively, you can get some pet cleansing wipes and clean the area daily. You can apply a small amount of coconut oil and rub it well into the skin-make sure Oliver does not lick at it. Coconut oil has some antibacterial proprieties and conditions the skin. This may help the wound to heal a little faster. If this does not help within a week, I recommend to take Oliver in to see his veterinarian. I hope this helps to point you in the right direction. Please feel free to post any further questions!

I would be concerned about possibly a deep bacterial or fungal infection or an autoimmune disease. It would be best if Sebastian was examined by a vet. The vet may need to do a culture or biopsy to make a diagnosis so that he can get appropriate treatment.