Stray cat with skin condition

[Lindsayj014]

Hello,

I have a friendly stray cat that comes around several times a day for food. He has a terrible skin issue on both his cheeks. One of his cheeks is much worse than the other but they both look bad. It was on the back of his ears too but that seems to have healed. I thought maybe he got in a fight at first and since everything had dried up I let it go.

Since it hasn't improved though and he's very friendly, I currently have him on the waitlist to get into the local shelter. They wouldnt take him right away because ive been feeding him for months so he's technically mine. But, I'm not sure how long that will take. He's inside right now and was okay for a few days, but is getting restless now being in a little room by himself (I'm not sure if he's ever been indoors).

I have 4 other cats and a dog, a couple of whom require ongoing medical attention, so I can't really afford to take this cat to the vet right now and the fee to surrender him is already going to be $85 since he will need medical treatment. Can anyone tell me what they think he might have? Is it scabies possibly? Should I let him back outside until I get a call from the humane society to take him? I really don't want him to get worse but im not sure I can do much for him right now since I doubt this can be treated with something over the counter.

Thanks

 

[FeebysOwner]

I really can't tell much from those pics. You could try a home remedy that I always recommend, primarily for the purpose of giving some mild relief - chamomile tea. Buy chamomile tea bags - you can find them in most any grocery store and generally speaking those are Germain - you don't want English or any flavorings or additives. Brew a bag in water, cool the liquid to room temp and then dab some on that place with cotton balls or a soft cloth - 2-3 times a day. Chamomile tea, which is a soothing and healing agent, also has anti-bacterial/anti-fungal properties. It is safe for him to ingest should he do so.

I can't tell whether or not you should let him back outdoors, but I guess if it were me, I wouldn't. If he is that friendly, maybe you can find a home for him through family, friends, co-workers, neighbors? Next Door Neighbor web site might be something to join (for free) and see if there is anyone in your area that helps take care of strays or works with rescue centers that might be interested.

 

[poolcat]

If the fur were gone, I'd wonder about ringworm. Do you have a black light that you can use to check? It's not conclusive, but if the area glows apple green when you shine a blacklight on it in the dark, I would assume ringworm. So keep him away from your other pets, for sure! (Sounds like you are.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D13KVZ4/?tag=thecatsite ... there are lots of different ones on Amazon. Good for finding urine spots, too!

Here are some photos of various skin problems: Skin Problems in Cats

Are you able to spend time with him in his room? He's probably bored, and may be lonely, too. Kudos to you for caring for this kitty!

 

[Lindsayj014]

I really can't tell much from those pics. You could try a home remedy that I always recommend, primarily for the purpose of giving some mild relief - chamomile tea. Buy chamomile tea bags - you can find them in most any grocery store and generally speaking those are Germain - you don't want English or any flavorings or additives. Brew a bag in water, cool the liquid to room temp and then dab some on that place with cotton balls or a soft cloth - 2-3 times a day. Chamomile tea, which is a soothing and healing agent, also has anti-bacterial/anti-fungal properties. It is safe for him to ingest should he do so.

I can't tell whether or not you should let him back outdoors, but I guess if it were me, I wouldn't. If he is that friendly, maybe you can find a home for him through family, friends, co-workers, neighbors? Next Door Neighbor web site might be something to join (for free) and see if there is anyone in your area that helps take care of strays or works with rescue centers that might be interested.

It looks like there's actually some possible puss coming out of his cheeks now. I will try chamomile tea and I might just have to call the vet on Monday and see what they say. I dont want him to get an infection.

I'm not sure anyone will take him but I will check out that website. I've already been speaking to a tnr place but after talking to them it was determined that it might be better for him to be an indoor cat since he was doing so well and is so friendly. They have a rescue too but don't have room for him at the moment.

If the fur were gone, I'd wonder about ringworm. Do you have a black light that you can use to check? It's not conclusive, but if the area glows apple green when you shine a blacklight on it in the dark, I would assume ringworm. So keep him away from your other pets, for sure! (Sounds like you are.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D13KVZ4/?tag=thecatsite ... there are lots of different ones on Amazon. Good for finding urine spots, too!

Here are some photos of various skin problems: Skin Problems in Cats

Are you able to spend time with him in his room? He's probably bored, and may be lonely, too. Kudos to you for caring for this kitty!

The fur is gone on both side of his cheeks and it looks like there might actually be circles too but it's hard to tell. He doesn't like to stay still for that long. If it is ringworm, how contagious is it for my other cats and even dog possibly? They aren't interacting at all but I have some cats that like to dart in the room whenever I open it. It looks like he has some type of pus coming out of his cheeks now, is that something that ringworm causes? I don't want him to get an infection. He's acting fine and doesn't really seem to be in pain but I know cats hide things really well. I dont have a blacklight but I will see about purchasing one.

I do go in the room with him when I am able. He seems like a pretty independent cat anyways so I'm not sure if he needs a lot of attention but I can see him being bored since he's been outside for years probably. I would guess he's around 4-5 at least since he's cheeks are pretty puffed out.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Pus, if that is what you are seeing, is a pretty good indicator of an infection - it will be yellowish to greenish in color. Clear liquid would be more of an indicator of the wounds trying to heal themselves, as that would be his antibodies rushing in to try to heal the area. At this point, he really needs to stay inside. Give him a window (closed and secured) to look out if you can, at a minimum. And he really needs to see a vet.

I don't know if that happens with ringworm, but yes ringworm can be contagious. So, keep your cats out, and thoroughly clean your hands after touching him.

 

[poolcat]

I've attached a photo of a foster cat I had who developed ringworm. You might check with the humane society to see if they have a Woods lamp, which is how shelters and rescue groups usually check for the condition.

It is quite contagious -- for other pets and humans, too -- so unless you're sure it's not that, try to keep him isolated in a room that's easy to clean. And wash your hands well after touching him. I do hope for your sake that it isn't ringworm. Although it's not usually a problem for the cat, it's a pain in the neck to rid your home of the spores once they spread. It can take several weeks to go away on the cat, but the spores can hang around for a year or more under favorable conditions.

This may sound odd, but fingers crossed that it's just a skin injury. Once that heals, it's over!

 

[Lindsayj014]

Pus, if that is what you are seeing, is a pretty good indicator of an infection - it will be yellowish to greenish in color. Clear liquid would be more of an indicator of the wounds trying to heal themselves, as that would be his antibodies rushing in to try to heal the area. At this point, he really needs to stay inside. Give him a window (closed and secured) to look out if you can, at a minimum. And he really needs to see a vet.

I don't know if that happens with ringworm, but yes ringworm can be contagious. So, keep your cats out, and thoroughly clean your hands after touching him.

He does have two windows to look out and I kept the two perches I had in there for him so I will definitely have to deep clean them when he leaves. He's been sleeping on one of them pretty much all the time since he's been here.

I am planning on call the vet on Monday. If it's ringworm, I want to know. The humane society won't tell me after i surrender him so I need to take him now to find out what's going on. The pus does look yellowish so it might be the beginning of an infection.

I've attached a photo of a foster cat I had who developed ringworm. You might check with the humane society to see if they have a Woods lamp, which is how shelters and rescue groups usually check for the condition.

It is quite contagious -- for other pets and humans, too -- so unless you're sure it's not that, try to keep him isolated in a room that's easy to clean. And wash your hands well after touching him. I do hope for your sake that it isn't ringworm. Although it's not usually a problem for the cat, it's a pain in the neck to rid your home of the spores once they spread. It can take several weeks to go away on the cat, but the spores can hang around for a year or more under favorable conditions.

This may sound odd, but fingers crossed that it's just a skin injury. Once that heals, it's over!

This doesn't look like what he has exactly but it could be. The pus is making me nervous though, so I will be calling the vet on Monday.

He has been around a long time, close to a year and has been around multiple cats outside and none of them have what he has. He even eats from the same bowls as at least 3 other cats. I have seen him fight with another male cat as well which is not surprising since he is not neutered. I noticed his cheeks in December of last year but it was getting better so I let it go. It's been bad again for at least a month or so though.

I have a cat that I took in last August that randomly showed up with this guy last summer and he doesn't have ringworm fortunately. My cat now was just a little kitten when i took him in but I know they shared the same bowls.

 

[poolcat]

Although their skin does get raw looking sometimes, I don't recall seeing any pus, so if you are seeing some FeebysOwner is probably right about it being an infection. I couldn't figure out how Felix ended up with it, but my vet told me that ringworm spores are everywhere and stress can be a factor in whether a particular cat develops the lesions.

Good luck on Monday, and let us know what you find out from the vet.

 

[Lindsayj014]

I am definitely taking him to the vet now. When I went to check on him tonight, he has a big hole in one of his cheeks now. It wasn't there this afternoon when I spent some time with him. I wonder if he's stressed and messing with the wounds now?

 

[catapault]

That looks like an abcess that ruptured. Is he an intact male? They get into fights, a wound closes on the surface before it is healed. Infection occurs, pus develops, and eventually blows out from the pressure. He needs antibiotics.

 

[Lindsayj014]

That looks like an abcess that ruptured. Is he an intact male? They get into fights, a wound closes on the surface before it is healed. Infection occurs, pus develops, and eventually blows out from the pressure. He needs antibiotics.

Yes he is intact and I know he has been in fights in the past. He has been in my house since Wednesday and it just started looking like this last night but it sounds like that might be what happened. I am going to call a vet on Monday. I talked to a vet online through Chewy and they told me as long as he's still eating and acting okay I can wait until Monday to see a regular vet. If it does get worse, I will take him to an emergency vet but I hope that won't be necessary because he still has a good appetite right now.

 

[Lindsayj014]

An update on this cat. He did have abcesses on both cheeks from fighting and i was told they would be easy to treat. The rescue that helped me with some kittens I found also took him to the local shelter to get neutered and take care of his wounds so I didn't have to pay to take him to the vet. Since he was doing really well at the shelter, they did end up keeping him and he is currently up for adoption. The rescue that helped me assured me that the local shelter doesn't put animals down for space so he will be well taken care of there and hopefully adopted soon since he is such a sweet cat.