Why does my cat have recurring hard bumps and hair loss all over?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely a skin infection which may be secondary to something like allergies. The infectious component would have to be taken care of but it is crucial to take care of the possible allergy as well so this does not continue to happen. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like it may be the nipple and not a mass. She may be licking due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Bumps on the head and neck with missing fur may indicate an allergy. Often flea allergy in cats can present like this or food allergies or environmental allergy can also cause this. I recommend getting Selene on a good prevention such as Advantage if she is not on flea prevention. If she is itchy, the bumps have any discharge or painful she needs to go to the vet to see if she needs additional treatment or diagnostics.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to see that Nitro is having these problems. These areas of concern could be due to allergies, immune system mediated, or contact with irritants. There is a syndrome in cats called Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex that is an immune mediated problem thought to be caused by allergies, most times to the bite of fleas, mites, etc. Only a biopsy would be able to adequately diagnose these areas. Food allergies/food insensitivities may also be involved. Looks like something you should let your vet take a look at. Most likely they would use a steroid injection with or without antibiotics. These can be complex to figure out but some tests can be done and a treatment plan can be formulated. Plastic feeding and water bowls have always been implicated as possible sources of the irritated areas so you should switch to porcelain or glass bowls. I hope this helps and I hope you and your vet can make Nitro more comfortable.

This is probably caused by an allergic reaction. first of all make sure you flea your cat regularly 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. Regarding the lump, it needs to be checked to make sure it's not a tumor, usually a simple FNA test can give some answers regarding the nature of the lump.

Carbon has milliary dermatitis. It is often caused by a reaction to insect bites like knats, or from allergies. Basically it is a skin infection/irritation. Usually it will clear up on its own if the cause is gone. You can clean the skin with a mild antibacterial pad and apply antibacterial ointment. If Carbon goes outside using a flea prevention product will help repell insects too. Allergies are often seasonal so as it cools off and the bugs and humidity go away this should resolve. If it gets worse an exam is recommended. Generally this is treated with steroids and antibiotics. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care Carbon.

Pepper may be suffering from allergic skin where her skin will overreact to something such as grass, fleas or dust etc, then swelling and infection can develop. This tends to effect the skin in large areas rather than in smaller clumps. If it is random well defined areas that are breaking out I suspect she may have eosinophilic granuloma complex, which is a condition in cats where essentially the skin damages itself. It causes nasty red wet lesions and sometimes ulcers and lumps. I think either way Pepper needs treatment so will need to see the vet. They will likely give an antibiotic injection to tackle any infection. The key of treatment will be managing the immune system which will likely be done with steroids.