Why is my cat's belly red, inflamed, and she keeps licking it?

Since Mao Mao has been licking repeatedly in only one particular area, I tend to think she was probably exposed to something there that caused some localized irritation. The area doesn't look severely inflamed or infected, so this is good news. However, continued licking of the region may ultimately result in this. I would recommend obtaining a cone / e-collar from a pet store or veterinarian and placing it on Mao Mao to prevent further self-mutilation. I would also recommend visiting with your vet to obtain medication to help with the itchiness / discomfort. If this is not an option, you may be able to utilize something like benadryl to soothe the problem. Hope this makes sense.

This could be from either an environmental allergies, food (if you introduced any new treats, etc), or just anxiety. Some cats as they get older will become obsessive groomers and will cause sores like this on their abdomens. A lot of cats will only groom when no one is around. I would first try some Benadryl twice a day and you can even spray it with a Benadryl spray to see if it helps with the itching. If this doesn't work, I would have your vet take a look at it to see if you need to try a stronger allergy meds like a steroids, antibiotics or just an anti-anxiety medicine. See link below for Benadryl dosing. I hope this helps! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/cat/benadryl/#

Poor Marley! Looks like he has licked himself raw and there is now an infection there. This can come from fleas (even 1 flea bite can cause an allergic reaction), outdoor allergies, or anything else that caused mild skin irritation that caused him to start licking. The licking has likely made it worse. I would recommend to contact your vet for an exam as he likely needs these spots clean and some antibiotics. Make sure you stop him from licking these spots by placing a cone collar on him. I hope he starts to feel better soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely 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. 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!

This looks like a eosinophilic plaque. He needs to see a vet for this condition. Here is an article on this condition. Steroids and antibiotics are usually the treatment of choice for this problem. http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/skin/c_ct_eosinophilic_granuloma_complex Based on what you described with the scabs at the base of the tail, I am guessing he has a flea allergy that may be the underlying cause. I hope this helps. Best wishes!

The pictures are a little difficult to see, but that red area on the skin is not normal. She may have created that herself from licking, but it could also be a skin infection. Either way, she likely needs medication. An appointment with your veterinarian would be a good idea. Sometimes fall brings a lot of environmental allergens. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon.

Hi, I think one of the first conditions to rule out here would be eosinophilic granuloma complex (EGC) which refers to a group of inflammatory skin problems in cats. The skin lesion on the picture may be an eosinophilic plaque. Common sites are the hind legs and the stomach. The lesions can be large and may be itchy, and the cat may frequently tries to licks and even bites at the affected site which can make it worse. Most cases of ECG are due to allergies ( fleas /food/ atopy=environmental). Flea control is very important in the treatment. Most cases respond well to medical treatment with corticosteroids (prednisolone commonly) and antibiotic if infected. She will need to be checked by a vet to confirm and to be treated. Hope this helps