My senior cat has pink spots on his belly. Why is he licking?

I am sorry to hear about Benny. Licking his belly excessively is a sign of itching (in cats they don't always scratch, sometimes they lick instead). With lesions like we see on the belly (it is hard to tell from the photos as they are a little blurry and not seeing the area in person also makes it difficult) we worry about eosinophilic granulomas. These are often the result of an underlying allergy to something (food, environmental allergen, insect bite). Unfortunately, getting it under control usually requires the use of a steroid (oral or injectable). I would recommend taking Benny in to see his vet so they can check the area out (he may also need an antibiotic for secondary infection). You can read more about this problem at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=656. I cannot say for sure that is what Benny has without seeing him in person, but it is one of the most likely causes.

It could be an allergy or food sensitivities. It may also be behavioral or boredom. Place an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent further licking. Have your veterinarian examine Astro to diagnose skin infection (bacterial or fungal) and to discuss allergy testing, hydrolyzed diets and food elimination trials. Consider interactive toys to keep him distracted and pheromone products such as Feliway spray or plug in diffuser to decrease any anxiety.

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

The areas in the picture look quite ulcerated, probably from the excessive licking. Possible causes for licking include from itching, which can happen with fleas, mites, ringworm, allergies, bacterial infection, among others. Sometimes cats will overgroom themselves (called fur mowing) and cause damage to the skin, which hurts and so they keep licking and just make it worse! Here is a helpful article on fur mowing. I hope that your vet will get Jinx to feeling better soon! http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2565

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. A topical is not likely to be of much help here. You could consider using an e-collar to prevent licking if that is currently an issue. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Thank you for posting your question! Judging from your description, it sounds like Sunshine has been licking her paws causing the hair to change color. The balding spot could be due to several causes. Have you recently changed the type of litter? Due to the feet being one of the main areas she is licking, this could be due to a contact allergy. If she is strictly indoors, I would suspect this to be related to the litter or carpet cleaner in regards to allergies. Another possibility is arthritis. Sunshine is an older cat and as animals age, the joints become arthritic with time. She may be licking her paws and the back of her neck due to arthritis. For both allergies and arthritis, omega-3 fish oil is a great product and Welactin for cats is something that I would recommend. If you would like to try Benadryl first to see if that improves Sunshine's symptoms, you can administer 1/2 tablet of a 25mg Adult Benadryl. If there is no improvement, then I would suggest scheduling an appointment with Sunshine's veterinarian to discuss this further. Please feel free to contact me in regards to any further questions / concerns you may have!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!