Vet Q&A-Cat

My cat is licking himself so bad he is going bald and have raw spots on his stomach back of his legs his sides I have tried benedryl he has on flea meds no signs of fleas

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! This is likely due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Black spot under my cat s chin! I read about acne and plastic bowls. She has a cat mate water fountain she loves it and I clean it almost weekly. Do these photos look like acne? I have not been able to get my cat to the vet I a month . I had to cancel 3x’s and realize she must be seen which I plan on doing. however it might be a while and I am looking for reassurance or someone to tell me I should not wait any longer. Thanks in advance Catherine

Feline acne can present as a single papule (bump) or pustule (pus filled bump) that can be red and painful. If it ruptures, it can crust over and create a dark area like you are seeing on Mrs. Jones' chin. There isn't any way to tell from the pictures exactly what is going on under the dark area which is how we could determine what is going on . Feline acne results from an overgrowth of normal bacteria and yeast on the skin. It can become a problem when it involves a significant amount of the chin and/or is painful. If the crust is dried and non-painful, I would not recommend cleaning it or medicating it since that will sometimes makes them more irritated. If the area is red, swollen, painful or enlarging, Mrs. Jones needs to see her veterinarian. If this area resolves, but she is continuing to develop new areas, then I would also have your veterinarian examine her to see what can be done to prevent further outbreaks. There are topical products that we will use to help treat and prevent mild outbreaks. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.

Last night, my cat was diagnosed with lymphoma. We were given the option to euthanize, or spend hundreds on further exams and treatments. Are we doing the right thing by euthanizing her? She’s only 8 years old, but her lymphocyte levels and wbc levels were extremely high, and her red cells were very low.

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! I am sorry to hear that. Lymphoma is an aggressive disease in cats, especially when in the gastrointestinal system and in circulation. Usually even with chemotherapy you are looking at a prognosis of 2-6 months depending on the exact type of lymphoma. You could try prednisolone as a palliative treatment to make her feel better for the time being and perhaps extend her survival time for a few weeks. If she is already anemic, she may also require a blood transfusion making things a bit more complicated. If she is not doing well and you are not interested in pursuing therapy knowing the prognosis then euthanasia is a good option. Let me know if you have further questions regarding her disease. Sorry for the sad news!

So I put cat ear mite drops in my kitten and I didn't read that it was for adult cats and my cat is going crazy. She is shaking her head and running around the room jumping on things and won't stop itching her ear I don't know if that is normal. Also, I think I accidentally put too much drops in her ear... she wouldn't stop moving.

Hi there. Poor Chloe! Even adult cats with a high ear mite load often respond similarly-there is intense itch with the mite die off as well as the ear itself often have some open wounds from them-the medication will burn. If Chloe is having any true neurological signs like seizures, intense shaking, strange looking pupils, etc-best to get her to an emergency room right away for treatment. If you see nothing of this matter the side effects should subside soon. Hope this helps, my best to you and Chloe.

Symptoms of a broken rib? My kitten is nearly 8 weeks old, last night she was accidentally stood on. What other possible injuries may she have?

Poor Blue! Symptoms of a broken rib would include fast or labored breathing, and crying or acting painful when her chest is touched. In some cases, you may even be able to feel a fracture by running your fingers over her rib cage. If she was stepped on, she could also have other internal injuries such as damage to her liver, kidneys, or spleen, bruising of the lungs, or internal bleeding. If she is acting painful or lethargic, I would definitely recommend having her examined by a vet as soon as possible - she may need x-rays to help determine the problem and find out what can be done to help her.

Will fixing my cat make her stop peeing everywhere? we have tried everything to get her to stop.

That must be so frustrating for you! I recommend taking her into your vet if you haven't already to rule out a medical cause behind this behavior. Cats with a UTI will urinate everywhere, and she will need antibiotics to treat it if she does have one. Once a medical cause is ruled out, I would recommend spaying her. Female cats will mark to attract a male, and spaying her will help decrease this behavior. Even if it is a UTI causing this, I would still recommend spaying her. She may continue to mark to attract a male, and spaying will have many health benefits for her, including prevention of a pyometra ( a life threatening infection of the uterus) in addition to decreasing the marking behavior.

I found a scab under my cats chin and I am not sure what it is from. It has me very nervous. She is an indoor cat and I noticed it tonight.

Dixie could have cut herself with her nails scratching her chin, and that could cause a scab to appear. She could also have cat acne, causing her to scratch the area, leading to the scab. It could also be parasites causing her to scratch at her chin. I recommend taking her into your vet just to check to be safe, and to make sure there isn't a medical issue causing her to scratch at her chin excessively. Your vet can determine if there is a medical cause behind, and how best to treat it. I would not be too nervous about it, especially if she is eating and drinking normally, behaving normally, and is using the litter box normally :-)

My cat has been pooping by my front door and still pooping in the litter box. I always keep it clean. He also peed on my bed today .

If this is a recent behavior change for Cuddles, the first step would be to have him examined by a vet as soon as you are able to - there are a number of medical problems that can cause accidents outside the litter box, so your vet may recommend basic blood work and other testing to check for any evidence of a problem. If everything comes back normal, then it is likely that the issue is behavioral. Having accidents like this is often a stress or anxiety-related behavior in cats - if there have been any recent changes in the household, such as a new pet or a new baby, a move to a new house, or a guest staying with you, these could all be reasons for him to be pottying in inappropriate places. There may also be something about the litter box that he finds objectionable - he may not like the type of litter provided, or the location of the box. It can sometimes take some detective work to pinpoint the problem in cases like this, so if you're still stumped, I would consider making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist - he/she can meet your cat in person and do an in-depth evaluation to help diagnose the problem and develop a plan to treat it. In the meantime, you can try a Feliway diffuser in the house or a natural calming supplement such as Composure to see if this helps.

My cat got peppermint oil in one of his eyes.what do I do?

The best thing to do is rinse the eye as much as possible with artificial tears or saline eye wash. After that, if there is redness or swelling and she is not wanting to keep the eye open then take her to a vet tonight to see if it burned her cornea and created an ulcer. If she is holding it open and it does not seem to bother her, then monitor it for any changes