Vet Q&A-Cat

My Persian Cat has some bald spots and hair loss. I am not sure what is causing this but is there a treatment

Poor Chopin! There are a number of different things that can cause bald spots and hair loss like this in cats. Some common possibilities would include allergies, fleas, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so I would recommend taking him to the vet for an exam when you are able to. Your vet can do some simple skin tests to help diagnose the problem and get him started on appropriate treatment depending on what is found.

My cat has started eating ash from the fireplace. Is that normal? Additionally, He is also very skiddish when we try to brush his teeth though we have been doing it for years. He had a dental in Nov and all was good. He is becoming more and more skiddish. Is there something wrong? Vet said all was normal but he isn't the same cat as he was a couple years ago. We haven't moved and nothing has changed (e.g. No new pets or kids). Help.

No, this isn't normal behavior, and it can be a sign of deficiencies in the diet or anemia. I would check Mel's gums and if they are pale, then that is another sign of anemia. I would recommend having Mel examined by a vet tomorrow, and having a physical exam, blood tests, and a urinalysis done to see if he is anemic, and the tests can help identify what is causing the anemia. Once a cause is found, the vet can discuss treatment with you.

Can you recommend a brand of wet cat food for my 9 year old cat with lymphoma? She has cachexia already. Is receiving chemo drugs. Will Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon work? Thank you for your help

I'm so sorry that Katie was diagnosed with lymphoma. Athough they have not done as significant of studies in cats as they have with dogs, our goals with cancer are to feed a food high in protein and fat, but low in carbohydrates. This is especially important for cats since they are obligate carnivores, so a canned food is ideal. A salmon based diet is a wonderful idea since omega 3 fatty acids can have some anti-cancer effects. My cats love Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon. They also love Wellness Turkey and Salmon. Cats rely on their sense of smell to entice their appetite, so smelly fish based foods are a great idea for a cat with cachexia. I also find that rotating foods on a regular basis can be very useful for cats on chemo, so they don't get turned off to a particular food if they are nauseated. I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using Boop by Petco.

I've been told that female cats go in heat about 4 times a year.but my cat goes in heat alot.almost twice a month.sometimes she doesn't go in heat for a month amd sometimes she goes in heat 3 times in a month.sometimes she is in heat for a whole week or more.is it normal?!

Cats are a little different from dogs. Cats are called "seasonally polyestrous" and will cycle from January to mid-October in the US. If there are not bred during a heat cycle, they will continually go in and out of heat during this time. So what you are seeing may be normal, and the best solution will be to have her spayed, so she does not continually go in and out of heat. Your vet will also be able to make sure everything is normal medically at that time as well. I hope that helps. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.

The corner of my cat's mouth has been red/irritated for over a week. It looks generally the same as it did a week ago and isn't getting worse. Last night he started sneezing intermittently and he has vomited some food two times over the last three days. His appetite and energy levels seem normal. There is no eye discharge. He has not been exposed to other animals. Is it possible the the the redness in the corner of his mouth is an ulcer? Does this sound like feline calicivirus?

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Based on the picture in your description I would not think this is feline calicivirus. Feline calicivirus is mainly manifested as upper respiratory symptoms. I would think that this is an ulceration due to a complex disease associated with the immune system. Cats can develop ulcers on the lips due to a disease called eosinophilic granuloma complex. Many times these ulcers in the lips are due to an allergic response. If you are using plastic bowls to feed from I would switch to ceramic or metal to help prevent this. If you are already using ceramic or metal bowls then this may have been any different allergy trigger from the environment. Many times treatment with a steroid will help resolve this and sometimes this will only pop up once during the year or several times. If this is not getting any better or it is worsening I would suggest having your veterinarian take a look at this to recommend the most appropriate treatment. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please feel free to contact me with any other questions or concerns you may have

can i give my cat cheese, milk, crackers, and cooked chicken as treats, weve ried all sorts of cat treats and she has no intrest in those although her mom and sister adore them, we have given her them before but lots of websites say not to, also my other cat steals bread is that ok for her to eat

Hello, and thank you for using Boop by Petco. Small bits of cooked chicken can be a good treat for a cat, but I would stay away from the other foods you mentioned. None of those foods are dangerous, but cheese and milk can cause diarrhea and GI upset, and crackers & bread are not very nutritious for cats. Better to stick with little bits of cooked meat. Hope this helps!

My cat has a scratch right above his eye, not sure from what. What's the best way to clean it?

Poor Bond. It’s hard to say for sure based on the photo, but the scratch appears to be fairly superficial. If it is, then just flushing it with sterile eye irrigating solution from your local pharmacy should be enough to keep it from getting infected so that it can heal well. If it any point it looks like it is getting infected (yellow or green discharge) or isn’t healing well (within 4-7 days), then it’s best to get your vet to take a look at the wound for further treatment. No topical ointment should be placed this close to the eye, unless it is a prescription eye ointment from your vet. Hopefully things heal up well! As long as you continue to flush it daily it should heal well. Best wishes and take care.

My cat just leaked a little bit of light brown liquid from her bottom. Why

Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! If the brown liquid was very smelly (like rotten eggs mixed with poop) then she likely expressed her anal glands. Anal glands are scent glands inside the anus that are expressed with defecation. If she was scared suddenly they can accidentally release the anal gland material. The other possibility is that she is starting with diarrhea and some leaked out. Keep an eye on the litter box and see how her stools are. If you see diarrhea then I would bring a sample to your Vet and have her seen. I hope this helps and I wish Luna Girl the best!

My cat just had her first litter of kittens. They are 7 days today. There are 4 kittens. One of the kittens is crying alot, and keeps trying to crawl and explore outside of her box. The mom is following it and trying to feed her but she isn't wanting it. So she is trying to hide this kitten away from the others, and separate them. I keep putting her back with the others. Is there anything I should do?

This is a very concerning finding, if the mother is actively taking the kitten away from the others she may feel this kitten is unwell and may be putting the other kittens at risk. I wold recommend a vet check for the kitten and mother to rule out any signs of infection and it may be worthwhile trying to bottle feed the kitten if rejected by the mother but success rate is quite poor if the kitten is unwell