Why is my female cat scratching an itchy spot near her rear?

Ouch! Those are some major hot spots in that photo. I would recommend having Lili seen by your vet so the area can be clipped and cleaned and any medications such as pain or antibiotics can be given to help it heal a bit faster. I'd also keep Lili from scratching or pawing at it as this can introduce bacteria and more inflammation which can slow healing. If only Lili is affected and you're not noticing other issues like parasites, etc, it is possible there is an allergy underlying. She could be rubbing up against something causing the itchiness, or could have an ingredient allergy to something in her food (or a treat if the spots correspond with intermittent feeding of a treat or wet food). Other issues such as an underlying illness like an immune or metabolic issue can also cause scabbing and skin issues that affect only one cat in the household. A vet visit is a good option at this point both to treat the current scabs and to see if a food trial, allergy meds, or additional testing such as bloodwork to rule out any underlying health issues may be beneficial in finding the cause.

Excessive grooming of the rear may indicate fleas or worms. The area she's paying attention to is classic for flea allergy. The most common worms are tapeworms, which your pet gets by grooming and ingesting a flea carrying the tapeworm eggs. A broad spectrum dewormer can be gotten from your vet as well as a topical or oral flea control such as Cheristin or Comfortis. You might also consider asking your vet for a dose of Capstar. It helps get the problem under control by killing the fleas on the cat starting in five minutes but only lasts for 24 hours. You also need to treat your home environment. If you use a pest control service, tell them you are having a flea problem and they can adjust their treatment. Use a premise spray that also contains an IGR, insect growth regulator. This will keep eggs and larvae from maturing into adults and helps break the life cycle. Also, vacuum EVERY DAY, throwing out the bag or emptying the canister every time into an outside receptacle and spraying the contents with insecticide to kill the fleas you’ve vacuumed up. Treat your yard as well, since fleas are opportunistic and will hop a ride into your home on your pant leg without you knowing it. Concentrate on areas under bushes, in the shade. Fleas are less likely to be located in open sunny areas where it gets hot. You might want to consider boarding your cat for the day at your vet, to give you the opportunity to flea bomb your house without having to worry about your cat. They can bathe your cat and give a dose of Capstar while you take care of the problem at home. Be patient, you may have to repeat these steps multiple times 10-14 days apart to help break the flea life cycle.

She could have a foreign body or infecion in that area that won't properly heal. I would have your vet look at it to ensure she doesn't need some antibiotics or even a culture of the area to ensure it isn't a resistant infection. Finally, if it won't heal, she may need that area surgically removed as I have had a similar case where we surgically removed it and sent the tissue to the lab and there a piece of grass was embedded in that tissue. I hope this helps.

I'm concerned the two scabs are not related. I'm concerned the scabs around her anus might represent an anal gland abscess (the area looks red and swollen). I recommend to have her examined by the veterinarian today to have her glands checked. she should also wear an elizabethan collar at all times to stop any licking. Lastly, scabs and wounds should heal within 10-14 days. It sounds like the lesion on her head has been present for almost 8 weeks? That's very unusual and could represent an underlying condition. ask the veterinarian about this as well. Also, you should stop using hydrogen peroxide. Peroxide should only be used once or twice because it will damage the new cells trying to heal the lesion. Protect the area with the elizabethan collar and just monitor it. A healthy body can heal minor injuries. I hope this helps.

Hello, I would recommend taking Harley Quinn to the vet. There are multiple causes for this, and they have different remedies. Anal gland abscesses, internal parasites, and food allergies are a few common reasons cats may scoot and lick their rear. Your vet can guide you best after a physical exam. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

That's definitely abnormal behavior. I would be worried about his anal glands from that description. It's possible that he had an anal glands problem at one point and developmented a scooting habit that stuck. Another possibility is that he is itchy - this can be caused by food or environmental allergies. I would recommend asking your vet if they thought a hypoallergenic diet (for allergies) or a high fever diet (like royal canin fiber response, for anal glands) would be most appropriate for him and go from there. Good luck!!!

Hi there! The most common cause of excessive itching like this in cats is allergies - either food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment. You may want to talk with your veterinarian about allergy testing to help identify the source of the problem so that you can put together a treatment plan based on this information. If he's allergic to something in his food, he may need to be on a prescription diet like Hills z/d or Purina HA to help resolve the itching. If he has environmental allergies, you could consider hyposensitization injections or long-term daily medication like prednisolone or Atopica.