My cat has red sores on her belly. Is skin cream safe if she licks it?

This looks pretty bad, and unfortunately any OTC creams will just be licked off by Happy. Many human ointments contain multiple other ingredients which are not necessarily safe to be swallowed. You need to have her seen by a vet to have this treated.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. A topical is not likely to be of much help here. You could consider using an e-collar to prevent licking if that is currently an issue. 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!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It looks like skin inflammation and potentially deep skin infection. Most likely Pixie will need a course of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory agents to fully recover. Please, make sure she is not licking or scratching the area as by doing that she will likely make things worse.

This nipple was irritated by a scrape or insect bite I think, then Mishi started licking it excessively causing it to be more inflammed today with the hair loss. I recommend using a cone on him to prevent licking. Then clean the area with hydrogen peroxide and you can apply a thin film of cortisone cream on it to soothe the skin. If it isn’t improving then you should bring him in for an exam and treatment. This will continue to get worse if he keeps licking the area. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Mishi.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It looks good to me. The redness isn't terrible and doesn't worry me. The hanging saggy belly skin is normal for a cat and is more obvious after you shave the fur. If she is licking I'd use an E-collar. She is likely licking 10 times more than you are seeing. I wish Zoey a speedy recovery!

That looks very angry. Curious needs to wear an elizabethan collar at all times. This is the best way to prevent licking. I do not advise to start any type or oral steroid without first checking with your veterinarian. Get him into the veterinarian as soon as you can. I hope this helps.

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Skin infections may take days to weeks to heal depending on how severe the infection is and what it is caused by. Skin infections due to lick dermatitis may take up to 10 days to heal or more. The underlying issue (such as an allergy or stress/anxiety), should be identified and treated to help prevent similar occurrences in the future. I hope this helps!