Why is my cat scratching his neck until it bleeds and what to do?

Hello. Scratching to this degree could still be the result of some sensitivity, to fleas, pollens or other environmental stimulants. Very few cats will scratch because of a food sensitivity. Most of these cats will vomit or have diarrhea. It is possible that fleas may be the cause, so even though you may not see any fleas on her, you should use a good flea product on a regular basis, even if Maarten is strictly indoors. You might want to have your veterinarian examine her to rule out a parasitic issue, infection, the presence of ear mites, & possibly try a short course of steroids to see if this allows the lesions to heal. Then you can work on the possible underlying cause of her sensitivities. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This is probably caused by an allergic reaction. first of all make sure you flea your cat 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. It could be contagious to other cats and it will most likely require antibiotics, but not human ones.

Ouch! The main concern is why did he scratch himself so hard? Pets do not itch to the point of lesions without cause. The itching could be related to fleas, allergies, infection or ringworm (which humans can get). I recommend to have Moulder examined by the veterinarian to address not only the lesions but also the cause of the severe scratching. I hope this helps.

From the picture I can only say this may be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria or fungal). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics or antifungal meds (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. More investigations like sampling and bacterial swabs would be needed to determine the underlying cause more specifically. In my experience I have seen large wounds like this one from Poxvirus infection (but usually other wounds are present as well). I would suggest to handle this wound always with gloves (you are doing it anyway as I can see from the pic). Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking. 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.

The lesions that you are seeing on the back of Bruce's neck could be a result of a skin infection from his excessive scratching (possibly related to allergies to fleas, food or environmental factors), but could also be associated with ringworm, mange or benign or malignant cancerous processes. Bruce should go to his vet for evaluation because he likely needs a course of antibiotics to treat any infection present. Until you can get to the vet, keep an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent further scratching and skin damage. Also be sure that he is receiving a high quality flea preventative (such as Nexgard, Bravecto or K9 Advantix II) regularly. Baths in an antibacterial shampoo (here is one example: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27982) may be beneficial until his vet appointment. I hope that all goes well!

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Zack! I agree, I think he may have an underlying skin issue! He could have allergies or fleas that are causing the scratching. He could also have ring worm or a mite infection. Regardless of the cause I think Zack should see a Veterinarian as soon as you can! I can't imagine he isn't miserable by the look of things and the Vet can helps him feel better! I hope this helps and I wish Zack a speedy recovery!

Poor Iris! I'm sorry to hear that she's having this problem. Excessive itching and licking like this with sores and bleeding can be caused by a number of different skin conditions. Iris may have allergies, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). It's also possible that she has fleas, as flea baths are not generally very effective in my experience. Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so it's important to get a diagnosis first. I would definitely recommend taking her to the vet in the morning for an exam - he/she can do some simple skin tests to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate medication to treat it. In the meantime, you can place an e-collar (plastic cone) on Iris if needed to prevent her from continuing to lick herself and make the sores worse.