My cat has a red spot on his arm. Why does he keep licking it?

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). It may heal on its own, even though it will take few days. Disinfection may be done at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths twice daily. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking. If the wound will not heal/or at least improve in 5 days, a check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Ares. Poor boy! Apply gentle pressure to stop the bleeding. Wash the wound with warm water and antiseptic soap. To keep him from licking at it, you can put an Ecollar on him. You can get one at a pet store or make one at home. 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 he will need to see the vet for antibiotics to treat it. I hope this helps!

Thank you for your question about Oliver. I doubt it's a hot spot as you mentioned he has had it for some time. Some things like mite infections, on going allergies or even something like a eosinophilic granuloma can all have this type of appearance and history. While you can try an at home treatment, it may not work as certain conditions need medications in order to clear. If you want to try anything at home, you first need to protect the area from trauma (Oliver's tongue is very rough) by making Oliver wear and elizabethan collar at all times. Try to wash the area daily with an antibacterial hand soap (rinse it well) as long as Oliver tolerates it. Cats can strike out when they are stressed so make sure to not get bitten or scratched. Alternatively, you can get some pet cleansing wipes and clean the area daily. You can apply a small amount of coconut oil and rub it well into the skin-make sure Oliver does not lick at it. Coconut oil has some antibacterial proprieties and conditions the skin. This may help the wound to heal a little faster. If this does not help within a week, I recommend to take Oliver in to see his veterinarian. I hope this helps to point you in the right direction. Please feel free to post any further questions!

it is possible but it looks more like a hot spot from constant irritation and scratching. These usually start from a wound or trauma to the skin, they begin to lick and scratch to make it worse. The best thing to do is try to clip (no scissors) the hair to clean the skin with soap and water. From there you can apply cortisone cream and Neosporin until you can get him to the vet. He may need an e collar from a pet store to prevent further licking and grooming of the area.

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.

It may be a contact allergy to something in the environment. I suggest you put an E-collar on him to stop the licking and apply this spray to the affected area. If after a week it is not better then take him to your vet for an exam. ( https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Cute-Comfy-Cone-Water-Resistant/dp/B01M9I7NGK/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=cat+soft+e+collar&qid=1580747169&sr=8-2 ) ( https://www.amazon.com/Vetericyn-Plus-Feline-Wound-Skin/dp/B01M28PQLR/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=vetericyn+cat&qid=1580747200&sr=8-8 )

Hi, and thanks for your question. This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking/scratching (if any). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!