scratches on cat

jenniferd · Nov 12, 2007

My cat keeps getting these wounds on himself. When I first saw it I thought it was ringworm, because it looked like lesions. So I took the cat to a vet and the vet thought my other cat scratched him but I think he actually is doing it to himself by scratching himself with his back paws. He keeps on getting those lesions, now they are on his neck. Is there anything I can do?

yosemite · Nov 12, 2007

Originally Posted by jenniferd

My cat keeps getting these wounds on himself. When I first saw it I thought it was ringworm, because it looked like lesions. So I took the cat to a vet and the vet thought my other cat scratched him but I think he actually is doing it to himself by scratching himself with his back paws. He keeps on getting those lesions, now they are on his neck. Is there anything I can do?

What did the vet say to do?

jennyr · Nov 12, 2007

It can be difficult to identify the cause of lesions - ringworm is easily diagnosed by a culture, as is flea allergy, but there are other possibilities. Have you seen him scratching? You need first to check if he is doing it because he is itchy or sore, or if it is the result of a fight. If he is doing it, then is it at the site of an ijury that is healing, in which case toy may need to put an ecollar on him to stop him for a few days. If it is something else, then it could be an allergy, or some other form of eczema. My Bonaparte had his neck and chest covered with red raw patches that he was scratching and the vet could not decide what he had after ruling out ringworm and external parasites. He gave me various creams to apply and anti-fungicide tablets. But those didn't work, and I took his collar off to relieve any irritation that it was causing. The problem cleared almost at once, and now, by trial and error, I have found he has a metal allergy. With an all-plastic collar he is fine. SO keep experimenting and observe his behaviour closely.

jenniferd · Nov 12, 2007

Originally Posted by Yosemite

What did the vet say to do?

Put neosporin on it?

The vet tried to claim it was my other cat that scratched him, but it's not my other cat for sure, because they don't fight.
I think there is some problem with the cat as my other cat has no scratches on him, and this one keeps getting these lesions.

jenniferd · Nov 12, 2007

Originally Posted by jennyranson

It can be difficult to identify the cause of lesions - ringworm is easily diagnosed by a culture, as is flea allergy, but there are other possibilities. Have you seen him scratching? You need first to check if he is doing it because he is itchy or sore, or if it is the result of a fight. If he is doing it, then is it at the site of an ijury that is healing, in which case toy may need to put an ecollar on him to stop him for a few days. If it is something else, then it could be an allergy, or some other form of eczema. My Bonaparte had his neck and chest covered with red raw patches that he was scratching and the vet could not decide what he had after ruling out ringworm and external parasites. He gave me various creams to apply and anti-fungicide tablets. But those didn't work, and I took his collar off to relieve any irritation that it was causing. The problem cleared almost at once, and now, by trial and error, I have found he has a metal allergy. With an all-plastic collar he is fine. SO keep experimenting and observe his behaviour closely.

Yes, I've seen him scratch his neck with his back paws.
My vet didn't even give me creams to apply to the cat. I might have to take him to another vet.

white cat lover · Nov 12, 2007

I guess, my only useful suggestion is to get a second opinion from another vet.

yosemite · Nov 12, 2007

I agree - sounds like you need to find a better vet. Wish I could be more help for you but not being able to actually see kitty, it's pretty hard to guess and that's all we can do anyway is guess.

Let us know how you make out with a new vet and keep us posted on your kitty please.

jenniferd · Nov 14, 2007

Originally Posted by Yosemite

I agree - sounds like you need to find a better vet. Wish I could be more help for you but not being able to actually see kitty, it's pretty hard to guess and that's all we can do anyway is guess.

Let us know how you make out with a new vet and keep us posted on your kitty please.

Took the cat to the same practice, but to a different vet (they got different vets each time).
This vet couldn't tell me what's wrong with the cat either. Either the cat is allergic to something, or he is self-mutilating.
He got prescribed antibiotics so now I am having a fun time trying to get antibiotics into the cat.

sharky · Nov 14, 2007

I use neosporin for the animals for basic stuff all the time..

jenniferd · Nov 17, 2007

The cat is hiding behind the sofa when he sees me coming with a syringe to medicate him. I tried to move the sofa and it did something to my back. Now my back hurts. I don't know how I can continue to medicate the cat because he really doesn't like it.

momto3cats · Nov 17, 2007

I'm sorry you're having a hard time with this. It can be hard to medicate cats. Can you have someone hold him while you give him the meds?

jenniferd · Nov 17, 2007

Originally Posted by momto3cats

I'm sorry you're having a hard time with this. It can be hard to medicate cats. Can you have someone hold him while you give him the meds?

This will only freak him out more because he is scared of people. He is just one of those scaredy cats. He really hates being medicated.

jenniferd · Nov 20, 2007

This cat is the devil kitty. Today I had to move the bed to try and get to the cat so I can medicate him. And the cat is hissing at me.
Next time I am just gonna tell the vet I can't medicate the devil kitty.

yosemite · Nov 20, 2007

How much more medication do you need to give? Maybe next time you could get pills and try giving him his meds in the pill pockets they sell at pet stores. We had to give worm medication and we broke each pill into half, put the half in the pill pocket and the cats ate them right up.

I'm sorry you are having such a hard time. Are the scratches clearing up at all? Maybe you need to put an e-collar on him for a few days so he can't get at the infected area. He'll probably be quite shy and hide from you for awhile after all the nasty med problem, but he'll come around once the meds stop.

jenniferd · Nov 20, 2007

Originally Posted by Yosemite

How much more medication do you need to give? Maybe next time you could get pills and try giving him his meds in the pill pockets they sell at pet stores. We had to give worm medication and we broke each pill into half, put the half in the pill pocket and the cats ate them right up.

I'm sorry you are having such a hard time. Are the scratches clearing up at all? Maybe you need to put an e-collar on him for a few days so he can't get at the infected area. He'll probably be quite shy and hide from you for awhile after all the nasty med problem, but he'll come around once the meds stop.

I don't know if the scratches are healing or not. The cat won't come out from under the bed. I don't think I can even finish his course of antibiotics. I am also pretty sure he won't eat pill pockets.

jenniferd · Nov 23, 2007

His old scratches started healing, but today he got himself a new one. Even my other cat seems disgusted with him. I saw my other cat smacking him this morning, and they never fight.

scratches on cat

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