Please Help! Injured Cat, No Money for Vet!!!

        My cat obsessively grooms, chews, and scratches himself.  We have taken steps to make sure all fleas are kept at bay, so this is NOT the issue.  I am thinking he has some sort of allergy. (Or maybe it is an anxiety behavior?) Anyway, he has rendered himself half bald from all the grooming.  We use a hot spot spray and an antimicrobial spray.   He now has a very raw open patch under his chin and around the side of his neck.  He will not leave it alone!!! I can't keep him in a cone collar, he always manages to slip out no matter how tight I make it.  I'm concerned that this area is infected or at least will be very infected if we don't remedy this.  For a variety of reasons, I cannot afford a vet right now.  What can we do at home to help him? Is Neosporin safe?  What about Benadryl?  Dosing?  Any other recommendations?   Thank you in advance for your help. This is my child's best friend, and I really need to get him well. 

*Please don't recommend we take him to the vet.  If I had the money, I would,  My choices right now are to treat him at home or surrender him to a kill shelter where he will undoubtedly be euthanized.  Than you for your understanding. 

Hi there ... I am sorry your kitty is going through this. It sounds really uncomfortable.

It's really important to know what this is before recommending something as there are many things that could be happening here, and suggesting the wrong thing could make matters worse. If its possible to take a picture of your kitty with the side that is infected, it would give us a better idea of what might be going on.

It sounds as though this 'could' be a food allergy or intolerance, a reaction to something in the home or behavioral given all the scratching and chewing going on. If the case, I would suggest looking at the food you are serving. Causes of food allergies in cats can be the result of certain proteins such as chicken, fish, beef, and secondary ingredients in food such as corn, wheat or soy. Similarly, airborne pollens, dust, mites and chemical cleaning products can also produce allergic reactions. IIt can be hard to pinpoint the cause, but through looking at the food and possible connections in the home, you might be able to narrow it down.  Here are some links with more information :

http://pets.webmd.com/cats/common-allergies-cats

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2141&aid=142

Neosporin might be okay as an antibacterial topical ointment, but if there is a chance that he could lick at it, then I wouldn't use it. My male cat gets rodent ulcers and dermatitis occasionally, and I treat this with a simple warm water and salt wash to draw out any infection and keep the area clean. I sometimes follow up with some vitamin E gel to repair areas that have developed sores. Not knowing for sure what is going on here, the warm water and salt wash is about the only thing I am comfortable in recommending. This is not a cure, but a means of keeping him from getting infected. You will need to get him to a vet at some point for proper diagnosis.

You might want to try calling your local ASPCA or shelter and see if you can speak with someone for further guidance. This shouldn't cost you anything, and you may even be able to get some emergency funds or treatment through the vet that the shelter uses, or be directed to where you can find some assistance.

You might also want to look into care credit which is like a credit card for medical and veterinary services. Please have a look through this thread for more information : http://www.thecatsite.com/t/209244/care-credit

Hope this helps ...

I understand your pain and frustration about not being able to afford to take your feline friend to the vet, I have been in your shoes.

It is hard to put anything topical on your cat since they can reach almost their entire body to clean it. Is there any way you can bandage these areas? My best suggestion is to continue to try and get him to keep the cone on. 

Good luck!  

I have been in your place with the exact type of illness. It was a few years back and my cat Autumn was scratching herself bald. I could not afford the vet at the time ( I am on Disability and just divorced)so I called the vet, explained and he said he thought it was anxiety. So he put her on Prozac (generic-few $) and she got better. Some vets can be understanding. See if yours might be.  Heres hoping!