Very Itchy Cat

OK... I am at my wits end here. I have such a sweet tempered lovey little boy who has a very big problem. Max has very dry and itchy skin. He also has a very bad case of feline acne which never fully goes away no matter what we do. Because of these two factors Max will itch his face to a bloody mess.

Our vet is at a loss... we have ruled out so much and yet he is still so bad off. He eats grain free, we use only ceramic and stainless steel bowls washed daily, we have tried medicine, antibiotics, medicated shampoos, you name it. A new treatment will work for a week or so and his face will look great and then it just stops working all together. We have tried just leaving it completely alone, no washing and no ointments and that just makes his face even worse. The only thing that works on a regular basis is a Depo shot, but in less than a week he is back to his normal itchy self.

We are on to next trying to wash his face with a mild baby shampoo and we are going to be purchasing soft paws for his back claws in an attempt to lessen the damage he does to his own face. The vet thinks the biggest problem is him scratching himself raw everyday and if we can get the dry skin and scratch wounds to heal up we will have a better chance at keeping the acne at bay.

I hate this... I have turned my lovey little boy into a scared kitty who runs and hides when he sees us because he now associates us with face washing, ointments, and medicine.

Has anyone had to deal with a very itchy cat and what have you done for them?

I don't know where in OH you are located. I would take him to a holistic vet if you could find one in your area. We know of a great holistic vet in Northfield, OH, we go there with our kitties. There is also another good holistic vet in Canton, OH.

Poor little guy, he needs a break from this ordeal

Might be something you have already tried but my cat had dry skin that was really flaky and itchy too. She would scratch til it bleed and then it would scab over, she pulled out wads of fur and the fur on her lower back near her tail was getting really thin too. I tried everything including grain free food, sprays, shampoo's ( the food reduced her vomiting considerably at least) I was at my wits end too and the vet was unhelpful. I remembered that i had gotten some cheap scented cat litter a few months before she started having problems. I switched her back to non scented and almost instantly the issue started to vanish. Perhaps even a cleaning product you use could be the source of the irritation, just a thought.

Thanks or the replies!

I did try switching litters from the corn one I was using to see if that helped but it didn't. One thing I didn't try was a non scented one so maybe I could try out Worlds Best. I use Arm & Hammer Natural Essentials now.

We are also going to try some holistic ideas such as Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Vitamin E.

We gave him a bath tonight in a mild conditioning cat shampoo and put on the soft paws. He tried to scratch his face a few times but I think the caps threw him off. He doesn't seem to mind them on so hopefully they stay on and he won't tear his face up as much.

Have you tried giving him Benadryl to help with the itching?

Originally Posted by Ziggy'smom

Have you tried giving him Benadryl to help with the itching?

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The vet had told us to use the children's liquid Benadryl which he hated. We ended up with more Benadryl on us and his fur than in his mouth. Didn't really think about using the pill form until recently as that at least would be less messy.

Woke up this morning to a great site though... no blood caked on his face! The blunt caps are stopping him from ripping his face up at least. We are going to see if the existing scratches heal up without to much fuss from us and then work on keeping the acne under control.

I use the Benadryl caplets, a half pill (12.5mg). They are pretty small and fairly easy to give. You could also try to put some benadryl spray or hydrocortisone cream on the itchy area to help make him a bit more comfortable. Even if he can't scratch and injure himself with the soft paws he's probably still quite itchy and uncomfortable so I really would recommend giving him something for the itch to make it a bit easier on him. There is nothing worse than being really itchy and not being able to scratch. Just make sure not to give both oral benadryl and topical benadryl at the same time. That can cause an overdose.

Good luck! I hope your little guy feels better soon.

Originally Posted by Ziggy'smom

I use the Benadryl caplets, a half pill (12.5mg). They are pretty small and fairly easy to give. You could also try to put some benadryl spray or hydrocortisone cream on the itchy area to help make him a bit more comfortable. Even if he can't scratch and injure himself with the soft paws he's probably still quite itchy and uncomfortable so I really would recommend giving him something for the itch to make it a bit easier on him. There is nothing worse than being really itchy and not being able to scratch. Just make sure not to give both oral benadryl and topical benadryl at the same time. That can cause an overdose.

Good luck! I hope your little guy feels better soon.

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Thanks! I will defiantly try this.

Call the vet first. Do not treat your cat without doing so. They can double check the dosage per your cat's weight, which you have not yet given in any of your posts on here so someone randomly giving you a dosage could be very wrong on the safe dose for your cat.
Benedryl may be an easily accessible OTC drug but never forget it has very serious side effects because of how much it affects within the body (it easily crosses the blood-brain barrier at that) - it and similar first generation antihistamines multiple side effects are the reason newer antihistamines have been created.


You said bowls? Have you ever tried plates? I find that some cats get more food on their faces when eating from a bowl than from a plate. I also have one that switching dishes to an easily sterilized type didn't help. I now use cheap undyed paper plates. After their wet food meal they get their teeth brushed and latter day meals are followed up with a quick face wash. This keeps it in check.
Do you brush all of your cats' teeth daily? It can be a possible cause.

What grain free foods? What are the starch and meat sources? Cats can react to more than just grains so stopping there may be stopping to soon to rule anything out concerning food.

12.5mg is the standard dose of Benadryl for any adult cat regardless of weight. Of course you can verify this with your vet.

I have/had an itchy cat. She would scratch her back/neck and above her eyes until they bled. She seems to be fine now that she is eating d/d food. I know your cat is on grain-free food, but maybe he is allergic to one of the protein sources in his food?

Have you tried prednisone or prednisolone for your kitty? How about a medicated powder topically? What topicals and meds have you tried? My vets usually recommend Panolog and Animax and I add a powder on top. It probably would not be good for your pet to lick the Panolog. I tried a bitter spray topically and it made one kitty feel icky for a couple of hours. Your cat has to be tolerant of the treatment, which one of mine won't toloerate anything but prednisone pills. His skin and fur are unusual in that the topicals simply drift off of him in a few hours, but your cat may be more successful.


Remi and Georgio -- here I have covered up the raw area on Georgio's face that took months to heal because the topical meds would not stick to his wound or fur. Prednisone helps him! He does, unfortunately, retain a big of a tough scar and his fur tufts out on that right cheek.

Currently he will get a Depo-Medrol injection when he gets really bad. The problem is that it wears off very quick for him. Less then a week and he is back to his itchy self. I worry about side effects of it which is why I won't do the injections all the time.

We have tried topical ointments like Tri-otic and Tresaderm and Benzoyl Peroxide shampoos.

Originally Posted by Mai_kitties

Currently he will get a Depo-Medrol injection when he gets really bad. The problem is that it wears off very quick for him. Less then a week and he is back to his itchy self. I worry about side effects of it which is why I won't do the injections all the time.

We have tried topical ointments like Tri-otic and Tresaderm and Benzoyl Peroxide shampoos.

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Considering this is such a long-standing problem, have you considered getting a second opinion from a different Vet? Sometimes it pays to find a "cat only" vet clinic where the vets there deal only with cats and are often more knowledgable about cats in general.

I'd be careful of the DepoMedrol shots. How many times a year does your cat get them? They can lead to temporary or permanent steroid induced hyperglycemia (diabetes) that can cause the cat to need daily insulin shots and monitoring of blood sugar levels.

Even though you're feeding grain-free food, there could still be some other ingredient in the food that your cat is allergic (or has developed, over time, an allergy) to.

Have you ever considered a Homeopathic Vet?

How are you cat's teeth? Dental issues can sometimes manifest in skin issues to the face.

Any bloodwork done within the last 6 months? Should be done. Including testing for Hyperthyroidism and Diabetes.

Cats can develop Inhalant Allergies; an allergies to something in the air/environment that they're breathing in......eg) scented candles, air fresheners, scented carpet powders, fabric softener on bedding they come into contact with.

Have a look at a post I made recently (today); about my senior cat with fur loss (and itching).

Have you tried any of the Hypo-allergenic diets?

What kind of water do you give your cat? Tap water? Well water? Could there be something in the water?

No chance kitty has fleas or mites?

You need to find a Vet who will help you get to the root cause of the problem........because until that is identified, nothing will help for very unfortunately.

Here's another suggestion................The Feline Consultation Service at Cornell University. Either YOU or your Vet can contact them (see this link for details, hours, cost). I've used them years ago for a cat that had a very rare condition (hyperaldosteronism) and no Vet locally had any clue how to treat it and the Vets from this Service were AWESOME!! very affordable. They can give recommendations for your Vet based on providing them good and thorough info on your cat's history (when symptoms started, what treatments have been tried to date, cat's diet, lab results, etc):

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/camuti.htm

I am sorry your kitty has this terrible condition. I would try a holistic/homeopathic vet for starters. I would also try feeding on a plate not a bowl. Not sure that will really matter, but I have used plates for wet food. I know how difficult it would be to put panalog or something like that on his face as he will just wipe it off. Sounds like an allergic reation to something, very tricky and I am sorry for your kitty and hope you can get a resolution to this painful problem

Well so far the Benadryl seems to be working its magic. He has been way less itchy and very animated lately. He is still itching somewhat but the his nail caps are also doing their job.

We put him on Omega 3 Fatty Acid treats to hopefully help with his skin condition.

We have tried lots of food with him... limited ingredient, no chicken, no fish, nothing but protein. Our vet thinks its something airborne since in the Winter, Fall and Summer its really bad. Spring is always mild so we are starting to look around the house at what could be causing it.

Originally Posted by Mai_kitties

Well so far the Benadryl seems to be working its magic. He has been way less itchy and very animated lately. He is still itching somewhat but the his nail caps are also doing their job.

We put him on Omega 3 Fatty Acid treats to hopefully help with his skin condition.

We have tried lots of food with him... limited ingredient, no chicken, no fish, nothing but protein. Our vet thinks its something airborne since in the Winter, Fall and Summer its really bad. Spring is always mild so we are starting to look around the house at what could be causing it.

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What's the name of the Omega 3 Fatty Acid treats you give? I'd like to get some. I'm finding it difficult to get enough of the Omega 3 F.A. liquid supplement into her, she's a major fighter when it comes to meds.

Tonight I noticed she was grooming a LOT and she does this a fair bit. I suspect she's itchy all over. I went and bought some Benadryl (plain Benadryl) caplets, 25mg...and broke in half then halved the half. She's only 9 lbs and old and some kidney issues so didn't want to overdo it with her. The dose for Benadryl in a cat is 1mg per pound. As the smallest size caplet is 25mg, hard to get an exact dose. Benadryl tablets are apparently very bitter tasting to cats and can cause them to drool a lot....so whenever I give pills to my cat, I put them inside a small empty gelatin capsule (aka "gelcaps" - can order from iherb.com in various sizes), lube capsule with a bit of olive oil.....helps it slide down easier....then follow the pill with about 2-3cc of water slowly syringed into the mouth......to ensure it goes down the esophagus and doesn't sit somewhere in there. I then follow this with a few treats to ensure she's swallowed good. Pills stuck in a cat's throat can cause erosive esophagitis which is very painful. Didn't used to know this, read a good article on it written by a Vet who posts on another cat forum I post on. Always chase pills with 2-3 cc of water.

I've considered for her that it's maybe something environmental that's caused her to itch and lose fur. I've unplugged all of the Bath & Body Works Wallflowers from my main level. Read that cats can have allergies to dust mites so I washed her cat beds/pillows in hot water, little detergent and no fabric softener.

Originally Posted by the_food_lady

What's the name of the Omega 3 Fatty Acid treats you give? I'd like to get some. I'm finding it difficult to get enough of the Omega 3 F.A. liquid supplement into her, she's a major fighter when it comes to meds.

Tonight I noticed she was grooming a LOT and she does this a fair bit. I suspect she's itchy all over. I went and bought some Benadryl (plain Benadryl) caplets, 25mg...and broke in half then halved the half. She's only 9 lbs and old and some kidney issues so didn't want to overdo it with her. The dose for Benadryl in a cat is 1mg per pound. As the smallest size caplet is 25mg, hard to get an exact dose. Benadryl tablets are apparently very bitter tasting to cats and can cause them to drool a lot....so whenever I give pills to my cat, I put them inside a small empty gelatin capsule (aka "gelcaps" - can order from iherb.com in various sizes), lube capsule with a bit of olive oil.....helps it slide down easier....then follow the pill with about 2-3cc of water slowly syringed into the mouth......to ensure it goes down the esophagus and doesn't sit somewhere in there. I then follow this with a few treats to ensure she's swallowed good. Pills stuck in a cat's throat can cause erosive esophagitis which is very painful. Didn't used to know this, read a good article on it written by a Vet who posts on another cat forum I post on. Always chase pills with 2-3 cc of water.

I've considered for her that it's maybe something environmental that's caused her to itch and lose fur. I've unplugged all of the Bath & Body Works Wallflowers from my main level. Read that cats can have allergies to dust mites so I washed her cat beds/pillows in hot water, little detergent and no fabric softener.

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I bought the ones from PetSmart. They are the GNC brand that they now sell. He seems to like them OK but he will usually look at me suspiciously as if to say... is this really a treat or is this medicine

I give my other cats one a day and he gets two.

I swear his itchy spots move around on him. One day he is trying to scratch the heck out of his ears and then a week later he is scratching madly at his whisker pads. This week its his neck. He also has other "hot spots" like his right paw pad, on his butt and the top of his head.

Forgot to add... I use pill pockets to give him his Benadryl I have to pop it in his mouth for him but he just swallows it right up. The pill pockets have been a god send for me. They may be expensive but all the cats think they are getting a treat if I have to give them any medicine in pill form.

Originally Posted by Mai_kitties

I swear his itchy spots move around on him. One day he is trying to scratch the heck out of his ears and then a week later he is scratching madly at his whisker pads. This week its his neck. He also has other "hot spots" like his right paw pad, on his butt and the top of his head.

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Have you read up on feline hyperesthesia syndrome, yet? If nothing else can be found to really be the cause of it you may need to consider this, or as part of what is going on. Maybe it's just allergies, or maybe it could be a combination...

Hi there......I had the same problem and went to my Natural health store.  She suggested that I give him 1,000 mg wild salmon oil with Ionic silver to fill the schringe.  I did this twice daily and he has improved to almost being himself again.  It's worth a try.