Anyone experienced in 'hot spot' on their cat??

I have a permanent feral resident, Destiny, the one with her ears amputated from Cancer surgery, she lives in my cat room.

Anyway up until recently it was very hard to flea treat her, I would have to use a syringe and shoot it at her back, hoping for the best Didnt always make it....!!

So as I said I recently figured out how to take care of this, but by the time I have she has chewed an area just above her tail, the fur is very thin/bald looking and skin is red and scaley. This area is big now, I can pet her if she is in her bed in an open cage and I felt it, wierd, like a thin scab covers it and it is very itchy to her.

So keeping in mind she is feral and will stop allowing me to pet her or get close to her if I attempt to use a spray or cream on her back, what can I do to make this go away? Is there some miracle thing I can zap her with once before she darts out and stays away again for weeks until I regain her trust?

It looks awful and surely she is not going to leave it alone until it starts to heal.

Thanks y'all!

Feralvr did with one of her ferals. I suggest you PM her, as I don't remember what was done.

Thanks Laurie!!

I did just return a PM to you. I am thinking this could be one of a few conditions. But first, I would suggest trying the Revolution three weeks apart for at least two to three doses. For the topical flea treatment, it has to be put ON the skin under parted hair. Squirting it on the back won't work at all and Destiny will lick it all off which is not good nor does it taste good. If you know for sure you have fleas, then I suspect this is a flea allergy dermatitis which is exactly what you are describing. I really think at this point, though, I would have a vet look at her. I know this is difficult with her being feral. Maybe try the Revolution three doses three weeks apart. This will also take care of mange or mites, IF that is an issue. All your bases are covered then. Treating her topically on the skin is the only way to get this to work. You can pet her? Then hold the dispenser in the petting hand (this is tricky :lol3:, but I have done it and it works), scritch behind the ears on the back of the head, and at the same time with one finger part the hair and dispense. You have be quick and sneaky. Not easy. Other than that, you might have to bring her to the vet and have them put it on her. for Destiny.

Yes! I know the sneaky slip of the hand action while petting her!

You see before, the only way I could pet her was while caged in her safe cozy bed. But 95% of her time is spent free to roam in the cat room, and I am not able to pet her then.

However the last time I caged her a couple months ago (I cage her every few months so I can pet her, etc.) was because of this issue she has that showed up, again...

And a light went on! I will leave her cage doors wide open all the time, and put her food in there as well, so she will get used to the cage, and it worked. She has 3 levels, and her cozy bed is in the middle, along with her food. So at least once or twice a week she is in her bed when I go in and I roll my office chair over to her and we have a petting session.

THIS has allowed me to flea treat her without the "hope I shoot it in the right spot" haha, method I was forced to use in the past.

I use advantage 11 though, did you recommend revolution for a specific reason?

Yeah, taking her to the vet is basically avoided at all costs since it ruins her trust for a very long time with me, and it hurts me to betray her like that. Don't get me wrong, if it's absolutely necessary we are there!

It's just that she had an extremely traumatic life before I rescued her. Hurts me still if I think about it so I'm pretty sensitive about her and how she feels because of what she went through. Unbelievable to say the least.

So her feelings are handled with great care to keep her spirits high

I will post a pic of her back as soon as I can, you can see just what it's looking like.

Thanks so much, I appreciate your advice.

I had a good feeling it was from fleas as well, I think she is sensitive to them.

A picture would help! My feral had a baseball size bloody and raw sore. And I mean bloody. It was awful looking. It was not from fleas as he had none. It was from him baking under his coat in that unusually HOT March. Ten days of high heat. It was incredibly odd for March. He was not itchy at all, but it was extremely painful. He healed up quickly after the steroid shot and antibiotic injection.

It is hard to take our emotions out of it when they need to go to the vet. It is really, really tough on us to see them so upset. I hope the Revolution will work as it will not only treat the fleas, it will treat any possible mange/mite infection as well. Just to cover all of your bases. Continuing the vibes for Destiny!!! :rub: