Hi all - I’d really appreciate if any of you have gone through this or know what it might be could share some insights. My cat Boba is around 3 years old and we noticed he started losing fur a little bit on the back of his hind legs. That patch grew and looked crusty. We took him to the vet 3 days ago and our vet wasn’t able to tell why it is happening - at least nothing conclusive. Could be fleas although he couldn’t find any evidence of fleas on him, allergies, rash etc. He gave him a dose of convenia and revolution. The vet suggested the next step could be steroids but on this visit he detected a heart murmur so he advised against it and suggested an ultrasound instead. A day after the vet, I noticed a new bald patch on his hind paws. I’m really worried and not knowing what it might be is stressing me out. I’m wondering if it’s allergies to food or his litter or if it’s stress induced or something else entirely. With the vet not being sure and seeing the bald patch grow, I’m very concerned. Anyone have ideas what it might be possibly? Or have experienced this? Boba is otherwise quite himself - no changes in behavior. I’ve attached photos. Thank you very much.
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Fur falling off on hind legs
- Thread starter drbobatea
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Do you see him licking/chewing his legs at all like they itch? Has he had any bloodwork?
If you’re concerned about a food allergy, there are “novel protein” foods (duck/rabbit/venison) that carefully avoid all the common cat food proteins a cat may have developed an allergy to. The ones by Hill’s and Royal Canin are prescription-only, but there are others (Blue Buffalo Basics, Natural Balance) that are a bit cheaper and do not require a prescription. If buying a non-prescription food, look for the words “Limited Ingredient Diet” and read the ingredients very carefully to make sure it does not contain chicken, egg, liver from an unspecified species, porcine plasma, etc. And be sure to mention it to your vet - a limited ingredient novel protein food is unlikely to be harmful (that’s why some brands are non-prescription), but might make it harder for your vet to tell you which change your cat responded to, so it’s still good to talk to them first.
There is also a second kind of allergy food that uses hydrolyzed protein - as far as I know all the companies that make that kind have it classified as prescription-only. Our vet is having us try the limited ingredient novel protein diet first because she says it’s more palatable to fussy eaters than the hydrolyzed protein foods.
If you go the prescription diet route and your vet recommends a Royal Canin food that’s only sold in large expensive quantities, ask if there’s an equivalent food from Hill’s that may be available in a smaller quantity that makes it a bit cheaper to just buy a little to try out. That question just saved me $40-50.
I can’t tell you if your cat’s issue is allergies or not - only that that’s my cat’s suspected diagnosis (but his issues are digestive, not skin) and that this is what I’ve learned so far doing a bunch of research on allergy foods. But again, please talk to your vet about it before trying out any allergy foods, even the non-prescription ones - they may have a plan in mind for next diagnostic/treatment steps and it’s best not to make any changes right now without consulting them first.
If you’re concerned about a food allergy, there are “novel protein” foods (duck/rabbit/venison) that carefully avoid all the common cat food proteins a cat may have developed an allergy to. The ones by Hill’s and Royal Canin are prescription-only, but there are others (Blue Buffalo Basics, Natural Balance) that are a bit cheaper and do not require a prescription. If buying a non-prescription food, look for the words “Limited Ingredient Diet” and read the ingredients very carefully to make sure it does not contain chicken, egg, liver from an unspecified species, porcine plasma, etc. And be sure to mention it to your vet - a limited ingredient novel protein food is unlikely to be harmful (that’s why some brands are non-prescription), but might make it harder for your vet to tell you which change your cat responded to, so it’s still good to talk to them first.
There is also a second kind of allergy food that uses hydrolyzed protein - as far as I know all the companies that make that kind have it classified as prescription-only. Our vet is having us try the limited ingredient novel protein diet first because she says it’s more palatable to fussy eaters than the hydrolyzed protein foods.
If you go the prescription diet route and your vet recommends a Royal Canin food that’s only sold in large expensive quantities, ask if there’s an equivalent food from Hill’s that may be available in a smaller quantity that makes it a bit cheaper to just buy a little to try out. That question just saved me $40-50.
I can’t tell you if your cat’s issue is allergies or not - only that that’s my cat’s suspected diagnosis (but his issues are digestive, not skin) and that this is what I’ve learned so far doing a bunch of research on allergy foods. But again, please talk to your vet about it before trying out any allergy foods, even the non-prescription ones - they may have a plan in mind for next diagnostic/treatment steps and it’s best not to make any changes right now without consulting them first.
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Also - it’s a little hard to judge from your post how you feel about your vet, but if you aren’t feeling confident in their handling of this then it is OK to go get a second opinion.
No vet can be perfect and know everything about every species all of the time. Sometimes a second pair of eyes and a new perspective can shed a new light on a situation.
I’m not saying I think you need a second opinion, I don’t know enough about your situation to judge that. But if you feel like you want a second opinion, then it is 100% OK to go get one.
No vet can be perfect and know everything about every species all of the time. Sometimes a second pair of eyes and a new perspective can shed a new light on a situation.
I’m not saying I think you need a second opinion, I don’t know enough about your situation to judge that. But if you feel like you want a second opinion, then it is 100% OK to go get one.
I'm not a fan of vets who give antibiotics and other medicines as a band aid treatment when they have no idea what is wrong with the pet 
If you don't feel the vet is addressing the issue, feel free to seek out another vet.
You can do some things at home to try to figure out what might be the issue. Food is the easiest to start with. What are you feeding your cat? Brands, type, varieties / flavor? To rule out a possible food allergy / sensitivity, change your cat over to a novel protein bland-ish diet. There are LID type foods you can buy. Stick with the diet for at least 13 weeks to see if the skin issue improves or not. Treats are ok but must match the protein of the food to eliminate any variables that may be causing the skin issue.
Environmental allergies could also trigger skin issues. Use a less dusty cat litter, don't use perfumed household cleaners and laundry detergent, vaccuum and clean often, change the HVAC filter regularily and the system maintained etc.
If you don't feel the vet is addressing the issue, feel free to seek out another vet.You can do some things at home to try to figure out what might be the issue. Food is the easiest to start with. What are you feeding your cat? Brands, type, varieties / flavor? To rule out a possible food allergy / sensitivity, change your cat over to a novel protein bland-ish diet. There are LID type foods you can buy. Stick with the diet for at least 13 weeks to see if the skin issue improves or not. Treats are ok but must match the protein of the food to eliminate any variables that may be causing the skin issue.
Environmental allergies could also trigger skin issues. Use a less dusty cat litter, don't use perfumed household cleaners and laundry detergent, vaccuum and clean often, change the HVAC filter regularily and the system maintained etc.
Hi
You might also try putting chamomile tea on those areas, particularly since those are likely coming into contact with litter;
Buy some from the store (garden grown isn't safe for cats), brew it, cool it, and apply regularly. It's anti bacterial, anti fungal, will ease any discomfort and is safe if he licks it.
Alternatively, raw coconut oil is anti microbial and is likewise safe if he ingests it.
You might also try putting chamomile tea on those areas, particularly since those are likely coming into contact with litter;
Buy some from the store (garden grown isn't safe for cats), brew it, cool it, and apply regularly. It's anti bacterial, anti fungal, will ease any discomfort and is safe if he licks it.
Alternatively, raw coconut oil is anti microbial and is likewise safe if he ingests it.
Convenia is used for bacterial skin infections, this according to Zoetis themselves. While none of us are vets, I am not sure that this seems like it is necessarily bacterial. My one experience with Convenia was with a cat who had a UTI and a skin infection at the same time. The skin infection cleared up almost in front of my eyes, which is what makes me think that this was not the right course of action for your cat.
I would consult another vet and be sure to tell them that Convenia was used and when. Just FYI, it can have strong side effects of inappetence and lethargy, along with a few others, so keep an eye on Boba. The cat to which I gave it had a reaction about a week later and needed follow up care, which I am not saying to frighten you or to make you think that this has to happen to Boba.
I would consult another vet and be sure to tell them that Convenia was used and when. Just FYI, it can have strong side effects of inappetence and lethargy, along with a few others, so keep an eye on Boba. The cat to which I gave it had a reaction about a week later and needed follow up care, which I am not saying to frighten you or to make you think that this has to happen to Boba.
