My cats have strange, painful scab-like tags on their backs. What is it?

These scabs could be caused by scratching, and in cats, the base of the tail is a characteristic spot where cats scratch when they have fleas. If Kenchion isn't up to date on her flea treatments, I would get one now. First, I would give her Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash her bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. Hopefully, this will help clear up the scabs. If it doesn't, then she will need to see the vet. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com

Scabs like this could be caused by allergies (food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment), or a bacterial or fungal skin infection. If you're positive that he doesn't have any fleas, then I would recommend having him examined by a vet when you are able to. It sounds like he will probably need antibiotics and a short-term steroid or other anti-inflammatory medication to treat the problem, and the vet can also talk to you about options to prevent this issue from recurring in the future - such as a diet chance to a prescription hypoallergenic diet, or a daily allergy medication if needed.

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 Ciciregularly every month with a high quality spot on (ex. Advantage) as fleas are by far the most common reason for these reactions. 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. This isn't an emergency by any means.

I'm sorry to hear that Spaz has such uncomfortable skin lesions! Some common causes of scabs over the back include underlying allergies (to food, the environment, or fleas, ringworm, or other inflammatory issues. Make sure that Spaz is receiving a high quality flea preventative once a month (such as Advantage or Revolution), even though you are not seeing fleas. Some animals are highly allergic to flea bites, such that the fleas saliva injected after one bite can incite an allergic reaction, even if you are not finding fleas on her skin. Fleas can enter the house on our clothing and then hop over to our indoor pets. Since her skin lesions have not responded to antibiotic injections (I assume Convenia?), she may need to try a different class of oral antibiotics, as well as corticosteroids or other allergy management medications. Spaz should go back to her vet for a recheck to discuss these other medication options. If she does have allergies, it can take a good bit of time and trial and error to help her achieve some relief. I hope that she's feeling better soon!

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 could be from trauma or possible a bacterial skin infection. You could give her a bath with a medicated cat shampoo and see if that helps. If not, she should be examined by a vet to determine the cause and treat the problem.