What is this skin problem near my kitten's mouth and nose? Any ideas?

Hello Everyone!

I have a kitten who is three months old today. Recently I have noticed a redness around her nose and it seems she has lost hair there too. She saw the vet on Monday and I forgot to mention it and the vet didn't say anything so maybe it's nothing. She also had red in her ears like a scab and the vet said that was from scratching and suggested maybe she had an allergy and to put an ointment on it. It seems to be healing since then.

So does anyone have any ideas? She will see the vet again in three weeks for her second round of vaccinations so I'll be able to ask then but I thought I would ask here to see if anyone had any ideas; She has also had a lot of diarrhoea all the time so maybe she has an allergy? 

Thank you in advance!

What a cutie. There are a few possibilities that this could be. Ringworm being one of them. A good article with links to a great thread on tips for treating ringworm: http://www.thecatsite.com/a/ringworm-in-cats OR could be an allergy to your kitten's diet since you mention the diarrhea. Although, most new little kittens go through a bit of diarrhea after adoption into a home and change of diet. What are you feeding? The spot in front of the mouth could be similar to a chin acne but would be on both sides and some on the chin. I am more suspicious of a ringworm (fungal) possibility hence the spot on the ear as well. Not sure I would wait three weeks and would request the vet do a fungal culture. Keep us posted!!

Thank you so much for your response, I really appreciate it.

Regarding diet, I was given Royal Canin kitten to feed her by the association. However, she decided that she much preferred the Purizon chicken of my adult cat and snubbed the kitten food. As I free feed my adult cat who is just not a big eater, I didn't want to restrict his access to food so I couldn't stop her from digging in to his food. I finally decided to mix the two types of food so at least she is eating half kitten food. Her diarrhoea has cleared up since I started doing this but it might just be a coincidence.

Thank you for the article recommendation. I sure hope she doesn't have ringworm! I ended up with scratches just trying to squirt the diarrhoea medicine in her mouth or clip her claws, I would hate to have to bathe her! Poor little thing.

Fortunately she seems very healthy and active. She is sleeping on my foot as I write this after keeping me up all a lot of the night by licking my face.

Thanks again! And I will post again after we see the vet.

Good to hear that the diarrhea has cleared! Mixing the kitten with the adult is a must-do if you have to leave food out and don't schedule feed. It is alright that your adult kitty gets a bit of the kitten food too. You could always off your kitten some canned kitten food a couple of times per day.

Yes - do keep us posted on how your darling kitten is doing. And, I also hope it is not a fungus. :cross:

I have to say that it looks very similar to a case of ringworm I've had with a foster cat. As mentioned it could also be other things but I would go to the vet sooner than three weeks so you can start treatment if it is ringworm since it's likely to spread and could also be spread to your other cat and the humans in the home, although that isn't very common.

If the ringworm is just localized in one or two areas like that spot treating it with an anti-fungal ointment can work. It's the kind you get for athlete's foot at the pharmacy. I've successfully treated two cats this way. There are also oral antifungals.

See what your vet recommends.

If it's an allergy and she's itchy you can use an OTC anti-itch ointment. Oral Benadryl can also be used but you may want to talk to your vet before giving any meds.

That's great advice about giving wet kitten food. She is such a ravenous little thing that she would certainly love that.

I will definitely keep you posted and thank you again for your advice and concern!

Here is an update (I've included updated pics, in case that can help someone with a similar problem)

I just got back from the vet who diagnosed B with ringworm. She has been prescribed a pill called "Fulviderm" to take a quarter a day for 40 days and I'm to put a liquid called "Imaveral" on the parts of her skin which are affected.

I am just relieved that she didn't say I need to bathe her!

Thank you for your advice, Ziggy'smom, I just saw it now, I somehow missed it last time I responded to this thread. My adult cat does not have any symptoms and neither do I in spite of her loving to wake me up by licking my face everyday and the two kitties frequently grooming each other and playing. The vet said it's unlikely for me or my cat to catch it now if we haven't already but that I should give my adult cat the pills too, just to be sure.

By the way, I followed your advice, Feralvr, and put her kitten wet food. She is unenthusiastic about it, preferring adult food, but she does eat it. :-) She is steadily putting on weight now. In the first two weeks between vet visits she only put on 60 grams but in the last three weeks she has put on 540g!

hno: Sorry about the ringworm diagnosis - I was very suspicious of that. I hope that she quickly clears and that the medication does the trick. Do keep us posted and wonderful news to hear how much she is readily eating the wet food and gaining weight. :bigthumb: for a quick recovery from the ringworm. :cross:

I just thought I would post an update in case it could be of any help to anyone who gets a kitty ringworm diagnosis.

About a week after my kitten was diagnosed, my other cat got a ring around his eye, which looked a bit sore and the hair fell out. I upped the medication I was giving them and they were both fine within two weeks or so. They have now been fine for about a month, no signs of ringworm on either cat. All I did was give them the pill daily. I didn't make any special effort to wash everything. I realise there could be spores in the environment but so far, so good.

I just saw my vet today who confirmed that Shushu, my adult cat, is in fine health, nothing wrong with him. I told her how the ringworm cleared up easily and she said that it is easier for those living in apartments than in big houses. I am in Paris so most people here live in apartments that aren't really huge. I'm not sure if she meant that it is easier to clean up and control the environment but in my case I have not done any out of the ordinary cleaning.

I'll cross my fingers that it is gone for good! Thanks everyone for your guidance!