My 15-year-old cat has scabby skin and bald spots. What's wrong?

Poor Kamakazi! I'm sorry to hear that he's having skin issues. Unfortunately, there are a number of different things that can cause skin problems like this in cats - most of them will require prescription medication from your vet to treat, so I'm afraid there is probably no way around taking him to the vet for this. If he isn't currently on any medication for fleas, one thing you could try is applying a topical flea medication such as Advantage to see if this helps. If not, then it's likely that his condition is due to an allergy of some kind, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). In that case, he will definitely need to see a vet, as none of these problems can be treated with over the counter medication. A vet visit for this problem does not necessarily need to be expensive - in my area, an exam fee is usually around $45. After that, even if you aren't able to afford any testing, the vet can discuss some options for treating the problem symptomatically with inexpensive prescription meds such as a steroid or antibiotic if needed.

This can be a sign of a medical disease such as hyperthyroidism, which can be common in senior cats. I'd have Sweetie seen by a vet for this behavior. The vet can do a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, and urinalysis. I'd take him into a vet today if possible. Best of luck.

It looks like your cat has a skin infection, most likely caused by allergies or fleas. The allergies can be from a protein in her food or to something in the environment, like grasses, pollens, dust etc. I would recommend taking your cat in to see the vet so she can be started on some antibiotics to help clear up her skin. I would also recommend discussing with your vet some options for medication to help control her allergies and itch like Atopica.

Hi Niki. 18 is a great old age for a cat but it is likely that she is starting to have some age related illnesses. Older cats may be prone to hyperthyroid which can make them lose weight, have skin issues and other problems. Renal (kidney) disease can also affect our older kitties. I would suggest that your dad's kitty see a veterinarian for a senior checkup and some bloodwork. Many of these conditions can be diagnosed on a bloodwork screen and there are multiple medical options to treat to give her the best quality of life in her golden years.

Hello. Hair loss could be due to many factors however with the image you have provided it looks like it could be possible parasites (fleas), behavioural (stress), or with his age possible hyperthyroidism. Wheezing can be due to asthma (increased risk if smokers in the house), or heart disease. I would suggest getting Twinkie seen at your vet's next available appointment, as cats often don't give you many early signs of breathing troubles before a crisis, so if you are hearing wheezing now it is best (and most economical) to treat it early while Twinkie is still stable. Your vet will also look at the skin for parasites, and may want to do a blood test to check for hyperthyroidism. Good luck with Twinkie!

This is probably caused by an allergic reaction. first of all make sure you de-flea Bam Bam 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.

I would be worried this is a ringworm or an allergy from fleas or something in the environment. Since they are getting worse and ring worm can be contagious, i would get him seen by a vet. Antibiotics or allergy medicines can be a very simple fix if that is the case.