My cat reacts strangely when I touch his tail. Is he hurt or itchy?

I would take a close look at the skin here because the base of the tail is a common place for flea bites. Check for fleas or flea dirt, which is small black specks on the skin/fur. If no evidence of fleas is present and the skin appears totally normal, your kitty could have an area of hyperesthesia, which is where the skin is very sensitive and can cause intense reaction. If it is just this small area, your cat may not need treatment, but if your cat is traumatizing himself or unable to live his life normally then a veterinary exam is recommended.

Even though you don't see any fleas, your cat could still be having an allergic reaction to fleas. It only takes the bite of one flea to set off the reaction, and itchiness over the base of the tail is classic flea allergic dermatitis. However, dermatitis can be brought on by other skin parasites (mosquitoes, mites, lice), bacterial and fungal skin infections, nutritional imbalances, hormonal imbalances, and autoimmune disorders. Therefore, I recommend that you have your cat examined by your veterinarian for a full clinical work up.

There can be a few reasons that Mister would do that. Fleas are a very common cause of sensitivity in that area. I would look at that first and start him on a good flea prevention like Cheristin or Revolution. If Mister is overweight, sometimes they can't clean well and this makes them itchy. Keeping his coat cleaned and regularly brushed will generally help with that. Look for red skin or scabs as this indicated infection. He should be seen if this is present. Hope this helps!

He could have pain in his tail from a skin wound or fracture that is causing him to traumatize his tail. He might also have feline hyperesthesia syndrome, a likely neurologic disease that can result in self trauma. I’d recommend having your vet examine him to see if there is any evidence of other diseases and to discuss starting medication if needed.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Chester. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. He should be checked for a traumatic wound to the tail or even a small mass that it is irritating him. If this is not the case, he could have a neurologic condition that makes the tail tingle or painful. His veterinarian will likely prescribe treatment based on his exam findings. I hope this information helps!

The most common things that could cause this behavior are flea bites around the back or tail, anal sacs that are full and itchy or infected, or a tail injury. You can check for fleas by combing the fur with a fine tooth comb. If you see fleas on the comb then give a bath and apply a flea prevention product. If you see him scooting I recommend your veterinarian express the anal sacs to empty the fluid and see if there is an anal sac infection. You can feel his tail and if there is a tail injury there will be one area that is more sensitive. Usually tail injuries will heal without treatment over a few days. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Savage.

This patch could be related to fleas, allergy, infection, or something called hyperesthesia. If you are not using a quality flea preventative right now I'd definitely recommend starting. Revolution is a good flea preventative for cats. If possible you can try using a gentle shampoo like Douxo Calm to bathe the area and see if this helps. If you do not see any improvement it would be wise to have Bast examined by your veterinarian to ensure she does not need any oral medication like antibiotics. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and good luck!