My cat has unusual bald patches please help!!

danby86 · Jan 19, 2012

Hi there,

I've had my Thomas for just under a year now and when getting him from the shelter he had patches on his front legs they didn't know why he had them and just said he came that way.

Went to the vets and they said he didn't have mites or anything like that.

They where going to test for skin conditions but they never got round to it what with other little issues my poor Thomas had!

But i begrudge going to the vet again as i had a bit of a bad experience with mine by over charging that's been sorted now but i rather if i can sort this myself.

Basically he has bald patches on his legs and paws he licks them regular and is a massive groomer. They do look dry. and he has little black bits on them which a hard to take off and are more on his other fur than on the skin itself.

Is there any cream or tablets i could get for him? any nice feedback will be appreciated i just want my Thomas to be happy.

Ive also added a photo of him so you can see how my little man looks

he is a very proud cat!

Draco · Jan 19, 2012

I don't like to offer advice on what to use (for I could be wrong!), but I wanted to say how beautiful Thomas is! My tux has a black chin too. Too cute!

jennyr · Jan 19, 2012

Beautiful boy! Is he treated against fleas? It could well be a flea allergy and the black bits could be flea dirt. You would not necessarily see the fleas on the cat, but treating the cat will kill the odd flea you might get in carpet or upholstery. I had a cat that over groomed and once she was treated she stopped at once. But I have to say I have one doing it now and we cannot yet find the cause.

redvelvetone · Jan 19, 2012

Not to alarm you but when my last cat developed a bald patch on his belly, we at first thought it might have been allergies, but it turned out to be cancer. If you are seeing black bits though, it sounds more like fleas / flea dirt and he's overgrooming himself or possibly developed an allergic reaction to them in response. If you don' t like your vet, maybe consider switching.

And yes, what a cutie your boy is. I love his little "soul patch" on his chin.

ruthyb · Jan 19, 2012

It could well be a flea allergy.candy gets the same thing and although she is reguarly treated for fleas she still has to go to the vets every 6 months for an injection for fleas and also antibiotic.Being allergic to fleas they don't have to have them just a speck of dirt can set it off. Good luck with finding out what it is,Thomas is beautiful.x

danby86 · Jan 20, 2012

Thank you so much for you're kind responses. After reading into it more it seems like ffleas I have bought all the equipment and I'm just about to do it. I wonder though

Surely if he is allergic to them it means he still has them? But anyways I bought the tablets and I'm ready to sit with him whilst they jump ship.

Then I will focus on the house I ggot file powder but it says don't use in human bedding any suggestions as tombola does sneek into our room and sleep there,

Ps thanks for saying Thomas is cute I am a very proud mmum of him!

Wish me luck!

jennyr · Jan 20, 2012

What product have you bought? Sorry, but this could be urgent. When you say tablets, have you got something over the counter from a pet shop or supermarket? Because many of these products can be very harmful, can CAUSE allergic reaction or worse. Please do not give her anything you have not got from a vet, and most of us here use Frontline, Advantix or Revolution. Even then, you have to be careful - one of my cats is allergic to Revolution (sold here as Stronghold). A vet will advise you, in the circumstances, what is likely to be the safest for your girl. And above all, do not put a flea collar on her - they have caused death in sensitive cats. I am very sorry, I should have been more specific in my post. But it will not hurt to wait another day or so while you ask a vet - better than causing her more harm.

danby86 · Jan 20, 2012

Hi guys,

I didn't get you're message till now

Ive already give him the tablet and de flea my house

the tablet was jhonsons 4flea it's a tablet that goes into the bloodstream so if a flea bites it will die off, he has been ok and I haven't seen any fleas. As for the hhouse

I used Wilko flea powder it's all hoovered up I'm boil washing his toys and curtains.

I hope he will be ok he seems to be thank god. He is just eating and sneering around.

Tryed combing him and them black dots are comming out but he hates it and swipes.

Omg I didn't know flea collars could cause death, I think I will return it tommorow.

Im so sorry not getting you're replys I just came in and thought lets do this.

Iis there any precautions I should do now he has took this?

ps Thomas is grooming again argh

jennyr · Jan 20, 2012

OK, we will hope for the best. I am so srry I didn't say anything earlier. Watch him carefully and don't let him lick any flea powder up. If he starts doing anything strange get him to a vet immediately.

txcatmom · Jan 24, 2012

Have you and your vet considered ringworm? We read a lot about it when we adopted a cat with it. Honestly, I suspect it would have cleared up by now even without treatment, but I thought I'd toss the idea out there. It can take on different appearances in different cats.

smocky · Aug 10, 2012

i have a persian cat and she has the same bald patches what shall i do? as i live in aplace where there are no vets please guide me iam very tensed

sparker · Feb 28, 2013

I foster cats and am telling you in capital letters...RINGWORM!!!!! I can't tell you how many times my little guys have had it. It has many appearances....most commonly, missing fur with little black flecks like flea dirt remains but it's all different stages in the ringworm phase. Sometimes there's flakey skin with raised areas hence, ringworm-like appearances. Sometimes when it first starts it's merely a little less fur in patched areas. Most usually at the paws and around the ears and neck area. Just know that ringworm is an air-borne spore and very contagious around your home and to you too. I've had ringworm twice since I started fostering cats in the past 3 years. When humans catch ringworm it too has phases.....sometimes like a pimple, others very itchy but can hang on for months on end. It eventually goes away but you must be patient. With the cat there may be only one area of breakout but typically it moves to other areas. The BEST CURE is a bleach dip. Pour 1/4 cup bleach in 2 gallons water and dip their entire body into it. DO NOT hard towel dry and the bleach residue needs to stay on their body to completely kill the spores through the entire hair shaft. So let them air dry after you wrap them lightly in the towel. Additionally, I take a q-tip in a similar water to bleach ratio and go over the individual lesions for extra fast healing. This will work, just be patient.

jennyr · Feb 28, 2013

I would not use bleach on a cat - it is toxic and even if you towel them dry they will still be able to lick it off. You can use a weak bleach solution to wash surfaces, though personally I use bleach free products in the house.

Ringworm is almost always manifest as circular patches - hence the name. It does not not normally show as large hairfree areas. When my cats got it 5 years ago I tried a special shampoo from the vet, but it had no effect, We had to go to an oral medication ( I can't remember hte name) before it subsided. I got one smal lesion on my neck, and used a cream and oral tablets to get rid of it. It took around 6 weeks to disappear completely.

GoldyCat · Feb 28, 2013

sparker said:
I foster cats and am telling you in capital letters...RINGWORM!!!!! I can't tell you how many times my little guys have had it. It has many appearances....most commonly, missing fur with little black flecks like flea dirt remains but it's all different stages in the ringworm phase. Sometimes there's flakey skin with raised areas hence, ringworm-like appearances. Sometimes when it first starts it's merely a little less fur in patched areas. Most usually at the paws and around the ears and neck area. Just know that ringworm is an air-borne spore and very contagious around your home and to you too. I've had ringworm twice since I started fostering cats in the past 3 years. When humans catch ringworm it too has phases.....sometimes like a pimple, others very itchy but can hang on for months on end. It eventually goes away but you must be patient. With the cat there may be only one area of breakout but typically it moves to other areas. The BEST CURE is a bleach dip. Pour 1/4 cup bleach in 2 gallons water and dip their entire body into it. DO NOT hard towel dry and the bleach residue needs to stay on their body to completely kill the spores through the entire hair shaft. So let them air dry after you wrap them lightly in the towel. Additionally, I take a q-tip in a similar water to bleach ratio and go over the individual lesions for extra fast healing. This will work, just be patient.

I use bleach to clean the litter boxes, but always rinse thoroughly and make sure the boxes are dry before I bring them back inside. I can't imagine that putting bleach directly on a cat -- in any concentration -- would be healthy.

BTW, this thread is a year old. I hope the issue has been cleared up by now.

smitten4kittens · Feb 28, 2013

I would never give a cat a bleach dip. Even diluted. Bleach is highly toxic. Ringworm is not.

maggie bodine · Jun 25, 2016

Hi

Not sure if you have ever heard of Diatomaceous Earth. You can get it Food Grade so it will not hurt anyone. It will kill roaches, ants and FLEAS too. It can also be used in pets food to kill parasites inside their bodies. So that probably would help to put it around the house to kill any fleas there might be and it is pretty inexpensive.

My cat has unusual bald patches please help!!

danby86

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Draco

NOT Malfoy!

jennyr

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redvelvetone

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ruthyb

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danby86

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jennyr

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danby86

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jennyr

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txcatmom

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smocky

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sparker

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jennyr

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smitten4kittens

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maggie bodine

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