My cat has a raw skin patch above her eye. Is it serious or urgent?

Hi there! What you're describing sounds more likely to be a skin problem of some kind (allergies, etc.) vs. an actual wound or something more serious, although of course it's always hard to say without being able to see her in person. It does sound like this is something that should be seen by a vet, since skin issues in cats that are severe enough to cause hair loss and raw spots will virtually always need prescription meds to treat effectively. But if she's acting normal otherwise (eating and drinking, relatively active, no other obvious symptoms), then I wouldn't consider it to be an emergency. It should be okay to call your regular vet's office and get an appointment scheduled for her when you're able to, hopefully within the next week or two. :)

It doesn't look too bad in the picture. Poppy may have injured herself by rubbing her face against something in the home. I would keep an eye on it for now. if it gets bigger or appears infected (redness, swelling, warm to the touch, pus), then have her seen by a vet. I hope this helps!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Harley. Poor girl. I agree, it does look a bit raw. Typically this isn't an emergency, but if it's really bothering her, causing her pain (signs of pain can include lethargy and loss of appetite), and/or appears infected, then I would have her seen by an ER vet. Otherwise, you can take her in over the weekend or Monday. I hope this helps!

Poor Sasha! It could be that she injured herself causing this spot. I would clean it with warm water and antiseptic soap. Keep the wound clean and dry, and monitor it for signs of infection. If you see redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, or pus, then it is infected and she will need to see the vet for antibiotics to treat it. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Poor Pip! Looks like he has a little abrasion there. It’s reasonable to put an e-collar on him and wait a few days to see if it starts looking better on its own. Since it is so close to the eye, there’s nothing over the counter that you can safely put on it at home, just keep it clean (water only) and dry and use a cone (ecollar) to keep him from rubbing at it. If it’s not looking better in 3-4 days, take him to the vet. If it starts looking worse, if he starts developing additional clinical signs, or if he starts having additional sores show up elsewhere, don’t wait, take him in. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

What a beautiful face! It almost looks like this might simply be an "eye booger," so blink her eyes and see if it moves. If it moves, you can use a wet cotton ball and wipe her eye, this should wipe it away. If its not moving when she blinks, and its adhered to the cornea (front surface of the eye), as long as she isn't pawing at it or squinting like she's painful and as long as she's otherwise acting normally, just make an appointment at your convenience. If it seems to bothering her, though, get her in more urgently. If she's pawing at it at all, put an Ecollar on her to prevent her from causing damage to her eye. YouTube has some videos for how to make an E collar at home. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Ouch! Since that is so close to the eye, it should be seen by a vet in person just to make sure it doesn't become infected and spread to the eye itself, and to try and figure out what may have caused the initial injury. Your vet can also provide any pain or antibiotic medications as needed to help the spot heal. Until you can get to the vet, it is best to keep the spot clean and dry, and make sure that the eye isn't bothered. An Elizabethan (cone) collar is also a good idea to prevent scratching at it which can lead to infection or accidental scratching of the eye.