What causes a red, itchy rash on my kitten's head and ears?

Hello, and thank you for the detailed photos. It appears to be a bald spot with some scaling. Possible reasons include a mild bacterial infection, fungal infection, mites, or allergies. I would suggest taking Rusti to the vet where they can perform a skin scraping and cytology test to check for some of the above. If there is no sign of infection, they may prescribe some medication to help reduce inflammation and itchiness in the skin, in case of allergies. In the meantime, if he is scratching at the area, you can place an e-collar (cone) over his head to help prevent further trauma. I hope this helps, and that Rusti is feeling better soon!

These areas on the skin look very suspicious of a ringworm infection or bacterial infection. Ms Pussington needs to be seen by a vet to get this looked at and treated. This won't respond to any at home treatment unfortunately. I would recommend scheduling an appt soon for her. In the meantime you can try cleaning the area with Betadine diluted 50:50 with warm water to provide a topical antiseptic clean. Nothing else should be placed on these wounds. She will likely need a skin scrape/cytology to identify the underlying pathogen and then treatment based on what the cause is. I hope she feels better soon.

An itchy face and neck is typical for food allergies in cats. Besides this he coulld also have a problem with the shampoo and/or an ear infection since he is shaking his head. I suggest you take Coyote to your veterinarian for an exam. If the itching started when you started to transition him to the new food, immediately stop feeding the new food and put him back on his old food. If the itching then stops over the next week or two, then he is definitely allergic or oversensitive to the new food and must not be given that. But I do think a vet visit is in order to rule out any other cause.

Scratching around the ears or eyes may indicate an allergy, or may even indicate a problem with the ears themselves such as an infection or ear mites (very common in cats). Signs of [ear mites](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/ear-mites/) include dark or dirty debris that is black or deep red in appearance, or you may see other debris that is foul-smelling in the ears. Ear mites and infections usually require a sample being taken by the vet to determine the exact cause, as well as a regimen of [cleaning the ears](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-clean-your-cat-s-ears-what-you-need-to-know/) with a medicated cleaner for 7-10 days. Ear mites can be spread to other pets, so treating any other dogs or cats in the house at the same time is best. If the ears are clear but you are seeing redness, it may indicate an allergy, or even possible problems such as [ring worm](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/ringworm/) (which appear as a red "target" ring that will gradually increase in size over time, and IS contagious to other pets and people). Your vet can provide you with an allergy medication dosage to treat minor allergies, or may ask you to bring in your cat for an exam if you suspect ringworm or other skin infections.

Is your pet itching or scratching at its head/ears? Outdoor kitty with the potential for being in a fight or being wounded? These could be excoriations/superficial wounds. If your pet is scratching/itching a lot than these could be caused by an ear infection (bacteria/yeast/ear mites) or allergy (food, flea, etc.), etc. Some medications older cats take can also cause an itchy face, so if your pet is taking a new medication this could be the cause and you should alert your veterinarian. As the lesions appear raw and ulcerated the best plan would be to have your pet seen by your family veterinarian for an exam and ear assessment. That way if medications are needed to improve comfort they can be prescribed. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Skin lesions can be caused by bacterial, parasitic or fungal infection, dietary or environmental allergies or sensitivities, immune system disorders, or a combination of the above. Indoor cats can still pick up fungal or parasitic infections, so if the lesion does not resolve or if it gets worse, I recommend making an appointment to have Dunki seen by your veterinarian to help determine the cause of the lesion you’ve noticed and to make sure it is treated appropriately. The vet will likely want to look at a sample from the area under the microscope to determine if there is an infection and to figure out what medication is appropriate for treatment.

Hello! I'm sorry to hear that Mickey is having some skin problems. Skin issues are not all that uncommon in mice, the location you mention (the ears) is common for irritated skin. The eye problem probably did stem from him scratching at his ears - sometimes they accidentally scratch the sensitive tissue around the eyelids and cause irritation unwittingly. The best thing you can do for Mickey is to trim his toenails - many skin and eye issues in mice are self-inflicted, and having short nails keeps them from being able to cause further damage. A small human nail clipper works well for this purpose, but if you are uncomfortable with restraining your mouse safely, a vet's office can do it for you. They may also be able to suggest an ointment for the irritated ear tissue. Additionally, they can check for parasites that might be causing him to scratch - this is unlikely, but worth ruling out. In the meantime, to protect the eye, a plain artificial tears ointment that you can get from the drugstore can be helpful. Be sure it's made for the eyes, and that it doesn't have anything in it except for mineral oil and white petrolatum. Good luck, and I hope that little Mickey gets well soon!