Young male cat itching himself raw

Hi, I'm concerned about my 5 year old male cat, Junior. He is a indoor/outdoor cat and we live in the country up north. He has been itching an large area on his neck/chin til it is raw. He also has a few very small patches on his shoulders and by his tail that he itches some that have scabs but aren't itched enough to be raw. The area on his neck has no hair while the others are just missing some hair. He has been doing this for about 2 weeks. Soon after I noticed it I put a "cone" on him (some call it a lamp shade or Elizabethian collar) so he couldn't lick it. We've kept him inside since putting it on. The spot on his neck especially was getting better, the hair even started to grow back. Then he opened it up again, itching it with his feet. Right now it is a little better and scabing over but it goes back and forth. His behavior has been pretty much the same, except the last day or two he has been somewhat lethargic and wants more attention.
Thankfully he is eating fine. We feed all 3 of our cats Taste of the Wild cat food. We had briefly switched to Rachel Ray's Nutrish but another one of our cats seemed to be allergic to it (Junior's mom, Hiedy, who is somewhat sensitive) so we switched back to Taste of the Wild.
I've been doing some research, but there's so many things it could be. A few I've seen that look probable are: fleas, hot spots, allergies (but to what I'm not sure). What do you think based on the symptoms? What are the best ways to relive the itching? Effective, natural remedies are preferred when possible. Now, I know most of you will say to take him to the vet right away, and hopefully we can take him soon, but right now my parents don't have the money. But in the meantime I'm trying to do whatever I can to help him. If you have any questions that might help, please don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks in advance!

Honestly, I understand that, depending on your age, you may be dependent on your parents to take him to the vet, but the truth is that no online advice can replace direct veterinary intervention. Any information given by posters here will not be based on your pet’s full history, and will be  by people who most likely do not have a degree in veterinary medicine. Please also keep in mind that, while you may prefer 'natural' home remedies, there are unfortunately many home remedies, as well as approved veterinary treatments for cat health problems that may work for one cat, but be lethal for another cat. You really should discuss any potential treatments with your vet first to ensure you are treating the right problem, and not potentially making it worse.

I am sorry I personally cannot be of more help and do hope others may be able to chime in with some opinions, but I really would take him to the vet as soon as it is possible- that looks really pretty bad.

Thank you for the advice. I appreciate it.

Mr Squiggles will do that if he eats wheat gluten, right behind his ears. Try treating Junior for the easiest first, give him some flea meds if he's not on them already. Then work your way down the list from there. They do sell some anti-itch/skin soothing sort of lotions and foams for pets that are safe even if licked. Maybe that could help soothe his skin in the meantime to make his symptoms more manageable. 

CinqChats said:

Mr Squiggles will do that if he eats wheat gluten, right behind his ears. Try treating Junior for the easiest first, give him some flea meds if he's not on them already. Then work your way down the list from there. They do sell some anti-itch/skin soothing sort of lotions and foams for pets that are safe even if licked. Maybe that could help soothe his skin in the meantime to make his symptoms more manageable. 

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Thank you for the ideas, they are very helpful. I have a foam and a spray that I think will help with the itching. I don't see any fleas on him, but our dog had fleas (I think her fleas are practically immortal, lol. We have tried lots of things but are still looking for something that works more than a week ) so Junior likely has them too. I agree that for now I should focus on getting rid of the fleas and soothing the itching. Thanks again!

Wait, what are the foam and the spray? Do not use anything for humans on a cat without speaking to a vet first.

talkingpeanut said:

Wait, what are the foam and the spray? Do not use anything for humans on a cat without speaking to a vet first.

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The foam and spray are specifically for cats and dogs.