Pi is about 6 years old. I noticed twice today he was scratching his one ear, and kind of putting his claws to the inner part as if that was irritated. There is a small slight area on the back of his ear that is slightly abraised, an abrasion, like if you VERY slightly skinned your knee or elbow. There is no blood but a slight damp area where the skin is irritated. It's about the size of the tip of your smallest finger. There is a similar area in the front area of his ear. Not on the ear but in front. I'm guessing but don't know that those are irritated due to his scratching. I did cut those nails recently which could make them a bit more sharp if you know what I mean. A sharper edge on them.
Thoughts I'm having. Lately I've been feeding him more fish based food. I normally do give him some but had stopped a certain one that I was unsure of - I wondered before if he was reacting to it - and I've given him some of that again this week. I feel like when I only give him poultry based food he probably does better. So wondering if this ear issue is allergy related. But would that irritate his inner ear? Not that I'm certain his inner ear is irritated, it's just the way he is slowing down scratching and putting his claws in there.
Also, I am in Michigan and it just recently got colder. Although I have the heat on he has been sitting by windows and has looked kind of cold sometimes. It is also quite dry in here. Though I just started using a humidifier it hasn't gotten to a healthy humidity so far. (I can improve that by using a second one, and I've just started putting plastic on some of the drafty windows - which helps keep the humidity higher too. But for now it's kind of dry in here)
If he gets bitten by anything he gets sores but that is normally just one spot on the outside areas of his skin (not in his ear) so it doesn't seem likely it's to do with that. I've been trying to get rid of pantry moths, I keep thinking they are gone but today saw another, but I don't really think they bother animals. But I'm not sure. Once one flew by his face and he was upset.
So far I just put a small amount of warm water on a cotton ball lightly on the little raw areas, just once. I'm not sure what to do. I'm going to turn the heat up a bit more and make sure the humidifier is always full (I haven't been that on top of it the last few days) and I have a second one I will clean and get started. I can stop giving him the fish based food and just give him the turkey/chicken foods. (One of them does have a very small amount of fish oil still in it though). I home cook for him kind of every other day, just 1-2 meals of chicken thighs and sometimes chicken liver with an additive for cats. He has FIV. So he does react sensitively to things.
I feel like I haven't been paying close enough attention. Now I'm worried. I love him so much.
Thoughts I'm having. Lately I've been feeding him more fish based food. I normally do give him some but had stopped a certain one that I was unsure of - I wondered before if he was reacting to it - and I've given him some of that again this week. I feel like when I only give him poultry based food he probably does better. So wondering if this ear issue is allergy related. But would that irritate his inner ear? Not that I'm certain his inner ear is irritated, it's just the way he is slowing down scratching and putting his claws in there.
Also, I am in Michigan and it just recently got colder. Although I have the heat on he has been sitting by windows and has looked kind of cold sometimes. It is also quite dry in here. Though I just started using a humidifier it hasn't gotten to a healthy humidity so far. (I can improve that by using a second one, and I've just started putting plastic on some of the drafty windows - which helps keep the humidity higher too. But for now it's kind of dry in here)
If he gets bitten by anything he gets sores but that is normally just one spot on the outside areas of his skin (not in his ear) so it doesn't seem likely it's to do with that. I've been trying to get rid of pantry moths, I keep thinking they are gone but today saw another, but I don't really think they bother animals. But I'm not sure. Once one flew by his face and he was upset.
So far I just put a small amount of warm water on a cotton ball lightly on the little raw areas, just once. I'm not sure what to do. I'm going to turn the heat up a bit more and make sure the humidifier is always full (I haven't been that on top of it the last few days) and I have a second one I will clean and get started. I can stop giving him the fish based food and just give him the turkey/chicken foods. (One of them does have a very small amount of fish oil still in it though). I home cook for him kind of every other day, just 1-2 meals of chicken thighs and sometimes chicken liver with an additive for cats. He has FIV. So he does react sensitively to things.
I feel like I haven't been paying close enough attention. Now I'm worried. I love him so much.