The cat is constantly licking itself and scratching itself - these are signs of illness.

Sometimes cat owners notice that their cat, even if it does not have ectoparasites, is constantly itching. As a result of this scratching and licking of the cat's skin, scratches and other traumatic skin lesions appear, which in turn are potential gateways for various pathogens to enter the animal's body with all the ensuing consequences.

There are many reasons why a cat begins to itch. When a cat scratches occasionally, this is normal for cats, but when an animal scratches and licks a certain place on the body until wounds and sores form, you should immediately contact your veterinarian to avoid serious consequences for the pet's health.

The main reasons why a cat may itch

Usually a cat itches a lot when it is bitten by fleas (fleas on cats). The cat may continue to itch even after you have treated it with flea medications and upon careful examination you do not find these parasites on it. It must be borne in mind that a cat’s reaction to flea bites can last up to 1-1.5 months.

In addition, the cause of severe itching in a cat can be:

• Helminths.
• Dermatomycoses.
• Allergy.
• Increased secretion of glands.
• Infection with scabies mites.
• Hormonal imbalance.
• Stress.

Let's look at the specific reasons why a cat itches when it doesn't have fleas.

Lice and fleas

The light-colored parasites, 2 mm in size, feed on blood and live in the thicket of hair. They are very difficult to notice there. They reproduce by laying white eggs, similar to grains of sand, at the base of the cat's hair. Causes severe itching.

The most common cause of itching in a cat is the presence of parasites in the fur. Even if it is a domestic cat that has never left the apartment, there is still a risk of parasitic insects. Let's figure out what the most common cases are.

These are blood-sucking insects that, when attached to the cat’s skin, cause severe itching, causing the cat to constantly itch, become irritable, decrease appetite and may begin to lose hair. The main places of damage are the abdomen, the base of the tail, and less commonly, the neck.

For prevention, you need to use special collars and perform regular hygiene procedures (washing with special anti-flea shampoos). There are also various special medications (drops, sprays, suspensions) that allow you to protect yourself from parasites. In fact, this is the most harmless case on our list and it won’t be difficult for us to recover from fleas!

We suggest you read: Is it possible to sleep with a cat in the same bed, what do you think?

Itching caused by helminthic diseases.

The most common disease among cats is worms or helminthic diseases of cats. Owners of their pets should clearly understand that helminthic diseases can occur even if your pets have not left your apartment. They can become infected with existing parasitic worms through eggs of various helminth infections brought from the street on the soles of their shoes. Cats during walks, in close contact with the environment, expose themselves to the danger of becoming infected with helminth eggs, which are found in large numbers on various objects. A particularly great danger in this regard is provided by the direct contact of your cat with other homeless, stray animals. Being essentially predators, cats never refuse raw fish or meat offered to them, which in our time of market relations can be infected with helminthic infestation. Some types of worms cause characteristic, pronounced symptoms of helminthic disease, while other worms, for a long period of time, hiding in the muscles or liver of the cat do not show themselves in any way.

Cats can be affected by the following types of parasites:

Roundworms (nematodes). Tapeworms. Flatworms (flukes and flukes). All varieties of worms are predominantly white in appearance. The size of parasites can vary from very tiny to 1.5-2 meters in length. Each of the above parasites is dangerous not only for the cat itself, but also for people, especially children, who have the closest contact with cats and kittens in the family.

Signs of a cat being infected with roundworms are as follows: Frequent vomiting (vomiting in a cat), sometimes the worms come out along with vomit and feces. Loss of appetite. Increased thirst. Constant diarrhea (diarrhea in a cat). Lethargy, loss of strength, decreased activity.

Signs of tapeworm infection in a cat: Indigestion is accompanied by alternating loose stools with constipation. Lost appetite. Poor hair condition, sometimes hair loss. Anemia develops. Drowsiness, apathy.

How to deworm a cat for worms?

Before carrying out deworming yourself, the cat owner first needs to find out exactly what particular helminth your cat is infected with. You will not be able to do this without going to a veterinary clinic. The fact is that each anthelmintic acts on a specific type of worm parasitizing a cat. Therefore, you need to contact a veterinarian or take fresh feces to a veterinary clinic, where they will write a referral for the cat feces you brought to the veterinary laboratory to determine the type of parasite. Veterinary pharmacies sell the following drugs for deworming cats: Panacur, Febtal, Dirofen, Pyrantel, Polyvercan, Prazitel, Profender.

How to properly deworm an adult cat?

It must be remembered that anthelmintic drugs for cats and kittens are different and have different methods of administration. For cats, veterinary pharmacies sell tablets for one-time use or solutions that are applied to the withers. Usually, a single use of these drugs is sufficient. But if parasites reappear in feces, vomit, or your cat continues to have symptoms of helminthic disease, then the drug must be reapplied after 2 weeks. It is necessary to use only the drug that acts on this parasite.

What should you consider when treating your cat for worms?

Only healthy cats should be treated. When treating cats for helminths, it is necessary to additionally administer Gamavit. After giving the medicine, the cat must be given an adsorbent drug (activated carbon, enterosgel). After using an anthelmintic, you will need to carefully monitor his toilet. It is necessary for the cat to go about its business, otherwise intoxication of the body will occur. If this does not happen within the first 3-4 hours, then the cat will need to be given a laxative syrup or a little Vaseline oil. Repeated deworming must be done after 2 weeks. If you carry out preventive treatment rather than treatment, then once will be enough. Additionally you should keep in mind that:

A nursing or pregnant cat should not be dewormed (an exception can be carried out in case of urgent need). Kittens infected in the womb of a cat can be dewormed no earlier than 3 weeks after birth. Before being vaccinated against any infectious disease, a cat must be treated for worms. Drugs intended for humans should not be used on cats. More detailed information about helminthic diseases of cats can be obtained on our website in the article - worms in cats.

Hormonal imbalances that cause scratching

In fact, there are few of them, but some are not so rare. Therefore, it is better to have an idea about them when analyzing the causes of excessive itching.

Thyroid dysfunction

Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism cause baldness, dandruff, itching, and tangled fur in cats.

Cushing's syndrome

Disruption of the adrenal cortex in the direction of intensification. Provokes alopecia on the sides and back. The skin becomes thinner, loses elasticity and strength. Visible comedones appear.

Diabetes

Dull fur, dry skin, dry seborrhea, and bald patches are the main manifestations of feline diabetes.

As you can see, the fact that your pet is forced to itch and lick itself intensively is not always the fault of fleas, as many people think. Be caring for our smaller brothers, treat them on time, and they will respond with affection, tenderness and love!

Hello! I would like to turn to you for advice, because... In Minsk I have already consulted three doctors, all of them make their own diagnoses, prescribe different treatments, but there is no improvement yet. I'm afraid to heal the cat. Here's the thing. My cat Tigger, 5.5 years old, is neutered. At the end of October he began to itch and lick intensely. Because We live in the private sector and the cat goes outside, so I immediately thought about fleas and flea dermatitis. This also happened before, but after applying Advantage drops to the withers, everything went away within a week. This time it didn't work. Tigger became very nervous, irritable, and unkind. he could just sit, then he would start to “twitch” his back, suddenly jump up screaming and run to another place. Constantly licked and bit his paws, back, tail, belly. Weeping scratches appeared along the spine, especially near the tail. Lost weight from 6 kg to 5.1 kg. We went to the doctor, he said that it was flea dermatitis. A month has passed since the first treatment, so another treatment was prescribed with Advantage drops + 1/4 tablets of prednisolone 2 rubles. per day for 2 weeks. By the way, half a year ago I adopted another cat (Ryzhik, about 4 years old, already neutered, also allowed to walk outside). Both for the first and second time I treated both of them for fleas + Drontal anthelmintic. Ryzhik did not itch. For Tigra, the treatment helped reduce the itching, but after stopping, he again began to lick himself vigorously, bite himself and smack, licked a large spot at the base of his tail, and his nervousness increased. Tigger and Ryzhik don’t get along anyway, but now Tigger began to chase Ryzhik especially often, attack him, just manage to separate him. In addition to all this, I felt Tigra’s enlarged lymph nodes in the groin under her hind legs on both sides, the size of a quail egg. And I noticed that he began to drink more water. The appetite was and is very good. Another doctor, after examining and palpating, said that our cat has neurodermatitis. He said to give 1/2 tablet. Ketotifen + 1\2 tab. Calcium gluconate + treatment of wounds with Celistoderm ointment with garamycin + adonis bromine (did not give it). For 14 days. As a result, the itching almost went away, the cat became calmer, and the wounds began to heal. True, the lymph nodes did not shrink. But after stopping the course of treatment, everything resumed again, the doctor said to continue giving it as prescribed... but only the symptoms were removed. During this period, the second cat fell ill (lack of appetite, vomiting pink mucus with foam), they took him to the doctor, treated him, everything was fine, but a week later the same symptoms appeared in Tigra. The food didn't change. I went to the third doctor. At the same time, for a consultation on the problem with scabies. They did an ultrasound and a general blood test (see photo), it turns out that the submandibular lymph nodes are also slightly enlarged, and the entire area of ​​the lower abdomen (see photo) after examination, they prescribed caboctan and cotazole injections for 10 days. The vomiting went away, the appetite improved, but the scabies remained (the second cat does not itch and is absolutely healthy). At a repeat consultation (no scrapings were done), the doctor prescribed injections of Ivertin-2.0, subcutaneous injections of 0.2 ml once every 7 days, 3-4 injections and drops No. 54 (homeopathy) 3 drops once every 3 days. At the moment, one injection has been given, the next one is on the 10th. The cat is constantly itching and licking. But I can’t figure out if there is an improvement or if I just really want it. I licked old wounds, new ones appeared, one wound from the size of a 2-kopeck coin was completely bleeding. Because of the ultrasound, we shaved our tummy, so now the cat licks it faster. I asked the doctor what I could do to relieve the itching, because... Every day there are more and more places where there is damage. They told me to give a prednisone injection 0.3 ml intramuscularly once. I haven’t done it yet, I’m afraid... I give it ketotifen. Please help me cure my poor guy! He is so handsome, but now his coat is dull, sparse, disheveled, sore…. Thank you in advance! photo of scratching and area of ​​inflammation:

Dermatomycoses

Dermatomycosis occurs in cats as a result of damage to the integrity of the skin and the penetration of bacteria or fungi into the skin (microsporia, trichophytosis, ringworm in cats, dermatophytosis). Inflammation develops quite quickly and can occupy large areas of the skin. Inflammation of the skin in a cat is most often accompanied by pustules (pyoderma) or weeping wounds (streptococcosis of dogs and cats).

Cats become infected from animals or care items infected with these diseases. Often the distributors of these diseases are rodents (rats, mice).

Ringworm is a highly contagious, anthropozoonotic disease of humans and animals, including cats, caused by microscopic fungi of the genus Microsporidium and Trichophyton. Ringworm in cats is accompanied by the formation of hairless areas on the cat's body, peeling, redness and itching of the area affected by the fungus. A cat becomes infected with ringworm when fungal spores land on damaged areas of the skin. Sick animals with scales and fur release a huge amount of fungal spores into the external environment, which can retain their pathogenic properties for a long time (up to 10 years). A cat can become infected with ringworm through fungal-infected grooming items, bedding, water, and so on. In the external environment, infected soil and grass serve as a permanent reservoir of pathogenic fungi. In large cities, stray cats, rats, mice and various ectoparasites (ticks, fleas) play a large role in the transmission and possibility of infection with ringworm. Ringworm primarily affects cats under one year of age.

The diagnosis of ringworm is made in a veterinary clinic based on the clinical picture of the disease and the results of laboratory testing of affected areas of skin that have not been treated. In a veterinary laboratory, pathological material is examined under a microscope and then inoculated onto special nutrient media. At the veterinary clinic, specialists carry out express diagnostics using a Wood's lamp (under microscopy, we register an emerald green glow, but with trichophytosis there is no glow).

Treatment. Ringworm involves isolating a sick cat in a separate room, which must be periodically ventilated and periodically wet cleaned with disinfectants. Treatment depends on the severity of the disease, the number of affected areas and the state of the body's immune system. At the onset of the disease, veterinary specialists receive good results from the use of therapeutic and preventive vaccines. In the case when a cat has damage to large areas of the skin, antifungal drugs are used (Griseofulvit, Dermicotsid - produced in the form of solutions in ampoules of 5 ml, administered in a dose of 1-2 ml into the thigh area 2-3 times with an interval of 3-3 5 days). In case of a generalized process, these drugs are used both externally and internally.

For more information about this disease, see the article - ringworm in cats.

Veterinarian advice

Despite the risks of being outside, the cat needs fresh air, so you should not limit its freedom. Since infections and parasites are transmitted through hands or from other animals, preventative treatment against parasites should be carried out regularly.

Veterinarian advice:

1. The animal must be kept clean.
2. A good immune system will protect your cat from any infection. The key to health is proper and balanced nutrition.
3. To prevent allergies, you should not include smoked and salty foods in your diet. Sweets are also prohibited.
4. A change of owner or a sharp change in attitude towards a pet leads to stress and illness. A pet needs to be loved, cared for, and given enough attention.

Be sure to read:
The cat scratched its neck until it bled: what to do, what to apply, how to treat it

A signal about the development of the disease can be constant licking of fur, scratching and excessive attentiveness to one’s appearance. Often the cat owner thinks that the pet has fleas, but when examining the fur, it is clear that this is not the reason.

Possible causes of itching:

• allergy;
• fungal diseases;
• hormonal diseases;
• hypo- and vitamin deficiencies;
• change of diet.

Sometimes itching occurs for psychogenic reasons. Increased licking and scratching occurs when the animal is stressed. This is often observed when an individual requires mating. Taking sedatives will help calm your pet.

Cats always try to lick wounds, sores and other skin lesions. After sterilization, a seam remains, which itches and itch, so the animal scratches and licks it. To prevent bleeding or other serious complications, a surgical collar is placed on the cat.

It can be difficult to diagnose why an animal constantly licks itself. First, the cat is checked for fleas, then it is analyzed whether the diet or care products have changed.

With a skin disease, the animal often shakes its head and licks itself until it bleeds. Only a doctor can diagnose the disease, so the pet must be taken to the clinic immediately. Based on the scrapings taken, they will be able to identify mites or fungal spores.

It is no secret that many parasites and viruses are transmitted from one animal to another, through the hands of people, but you should not be afraid and limit the freedom of a cat. Of course, there is no need to throw your pet into a pack of stray cats, but letting it out for a walk on the balcony or in the country is quite possible. Like any animal, cats also need fresh air and sun. It is enough just to keep the animal clean and carry out timely antiparasitic treatment.

Do not forget about a proper and balanced diet, which is also the key to your pet’s health. If he has a strong immune system, then no infection will be scary to him. Do not feed prohibited foods, sweets, salty and smoked foods. All this can cause or provoke the occurrence of food allergies. Pay attention to when your pet licks.

And finally, the last piece of advice is love and affection. Remember that your cat is a living creature that needs your care and attention. A change of owner or a change in your behavior can cause stress in your pet. And stress, as you know, is the first step to illness. If you want to pet an animal, but it is nervous and wags its tail, it is better to leave it alone, do not squeeze or pick it up without the desire of the pet itself. Remember that he also has the right to peace and rest.

Sorry, there are no surveys available at this time.

Allergy

In recent years, allergies have increasingly begun to affect animals, including cats. When an allergy occurs, the cat's owners note the following symptoms: hair loss occurs (cat hair loss), dandruff appears, an unpleasant odor emanates from the cat's hair and from the cat's mouth, problems with the ears appear (ear diseases in the cat), the cat itches, sometimes the cat he chews his paws, rubs his nose, licks himself vigorously, and allergic dermatitis appears (dermatitis in cats).

Causes of allergies in cats:

• dust, mold, pollen;
• food (food allergies in animals);
• flea medications;
• medical supplies;
• hygiene products;
• infection;
• insect bites;
• reaction after vaccination;
• low-quality material (toys, bedding, drinking bowl);
• breed tendency.

Only a veterinarian can correctly identify allergies and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Often, a flea collar can cause contact dermatitis, which causes hair loss, itching, and the cat scratching the area around the neck.

When introducing a new product to the diet or skin and coat care products, cat owners must monitor their pet's behavior. Food allergies manifest as inflammation around the head, anus, and ears. Vomiting and diarrhea occur. Exposure to allergens can cause angioedema and lead to the death of the animal.

Ringworm and fungi

Ringworm in animals appears as small patches of baldness. In this case, scabs or erosion may be present on the skin, but this depends on the causative agent of the disease.

Quite often, the reason that an animal licks itself more often than usual is a fungal infection. It is impossible to identify the fungus without special equipment, but dry skin and flaking can help you suspect the disease. It is these symptoms that cause discomfort to the cat, in response to which he constantly licks himself, itches and chews his fur.

We suggest you read: How to choose effective ear drops for cats

Upon careful examination, you will notice the following signs on the skin:

1. Severe dryness;
2. Change in color (pale skin or redness);
3. Separation of dense grayish scales;
4. Hair thinning;

These symptoms are characteristic of various fungal infections, including lichen. In this case, hair loss can be caused both by the characteristics of the disease and by the actions of the animal itself. Often, in response to itching, cats gnaw out islands of fur, trying to reach the skin with their claws.

Treatment of fungal infections is carried out with the help of antimycotic drugs. Shampoos and ointments used to treat people are usually prescribed - Nizoral, Ketoconazole, Clotrimazole.

Fungal diseases, including ringworm, are not so rare. The owner himself can detect the presence of lichen if he carefully examines the scratching area. There he can detect a bald patch with a violation of the skin, usually it has a round shape.

Ringworm from a sick cat can spread to humans; you need to be very careful when treating the affected skin.

Increased secretion of glands

One of the reasons why a cat may itch is increased secretion of the glands. With many endocrine diseases, the cat may scratch its back, neck, and ears. When the secretion of special glands increases, the cat experiences hyperpigmentation, dandruff appears in the fur, thinning of the skin occurs, the cat drinks a lot of water, and urination becomes more frequent.

If such symptoms appear, it is necessary to take the animal to a veterinary clinic, where specialists will conduct a full examination of your cat, including hormone tests.

Infection with scabies mites

Feline demodicosis is a chronic parasitic skin disease in cats caused by the microscopic worm-like mite Demodex cati.

The causative agent of demodicosis, being itself an endoparasite, is localized in the hair follicles and sebaceous glands. It is half a millimeter long and has a transparent body with poorly defined boundaries between the cephalothorax and abdomen. It has short legs with hooks at the ends. The oral apparatus is equipped with a gnawing type proboscis. When a cat is infected with demodicosis, the parasite first penetrates the skin. At the site where the tick gnaws through the skin, it leaves a pronounced concentric spot. Having penetrated the skin, mites begin to feed on skin cells, and the mites multiply intensively.

Demodicosis in cats occurs in three forms.

Scaly form. This form is the mildest form of demodicosis and is most often found in young cats (up to 2 years old). Symptomatically, this form is manifested by itching, focal lesions on the skin, the number of focal zones does not exceed five, redness, dry scales appear on the cat’s ears, eyelids and neck. However, there are no signs of skin lesions on the cat’s paws and back.

Generalized form. In this form, the disease occurs with massive damage to the skin and is accompanied by the formation of pustules, bleeding wounds, the affected skin is severely flaky, the cat's owners note constant itching, erythema, scratching, and scabs appear. At the location of the tick itself, upon careful examination, we note small elevations, with a crater in the middle, from which, when pressed, a white mass emerges. In cats, lesions are most often observed in the head, neck and muzzle, in the nose, eyelids, and tips of the ears. At the same time, damage to the paws and back is noted. The coat is dull, sticky, seemingly sprinkled with dirty flour, with receding patches. This form of the disease develops very quickly.

Juvenile demodicosis. In terms of its clinical manifestation, this form of demodicosis is practically no different from the generalized form. The only difference is that juvenile demodicosis in cats is a genetic disease (the kitten is infected in the womb). This form of demodicosis is the most severe for a cat, due to the fact that it causes consistent damage to the cat’s immune system, as well as the entire body.

Additional information about the disease is presented in the article – Demodicosis in cats.

Notoedrosis (pruritic scabies) is a chronic invasive disease of cats, clinically accompanied by dermatitis in the scalp, itching, scratching and hair loss.

The source of infection is animals with notoedrosis, especially stray cats, dogs, rabbits, as well as rats and mice, which cats are especially fond of. Transmission of the infestation pathogen to a cat occurs through direct contact with an infected animal or through infested care items.

Penetrating into the thickness of the epidermis, itching irritates the nerve endings and injures the basement membrane of the epidermis, as a result of which the papillary and deeper layers of the skin are involved in the inflammatory process. All this causes disturbances in the central nervous, cardiovascular and reticuloendothelial systems. A sick animal scratches the itchy areas, the skin thickens, becomes bald, loses its elasticity, skin respiration is impaired, oxygen deficiency increases, and heat transfer increases.

Clinical picture. Notoedrosis lesions in cats initially appear on the scalp (on the bridge of the nose, brow ridges, at the base of the ears) in the form of papules and vesicles, which then become crusted. A sick cat develops itching, which is especially intensified in the evening. On clinical examination of such cats, the skin appears dry, thickened, crusty, and dermatitis and hair loss are noted. Such a cat suffers, becomes weak and, upon external examination, looks unhappy. If untreated, the disease process spreads from the head to the back, shoulder blades, paws of the hind and forelimbs. The generalized form of notohedrosis in cats usually develops after 2-3 months. The cat loses weight, the skin becomes folded and becomes covered with dry, gray crusts.

More details about the disease in our article – Notoedrosis (pruritic scabies) in cats.

Otodectosis or ear scabies is a chronic invasive disease of cats caused by parasitic otodectosis mites on the inner surface of the ears and in the external auditory canal.

Young animals aged from 1.5 to 12 months are most often affected. Otodectosis has no seasonality; a cat can become infected at any time of the year, but more often infection occurs in the warm season because... The parasite persists longer in the external environment. A cat becomes infected from an animal with ear scabies through direct contact; people can carry mites through grooming items.

At the beginning of the disease, the sick animal experiences mild itching, the sick cat begins to worry, shakes its head, tries to comb the mite-affected ear with the claws of its paws, or scratch the sore ear on various objects. During a clinical examination of such a sick cat, the veterinarian detects inflammation of the ear canal; serous and sometimes purulent and ichorous exudate is released from the ear canal, which has a sharp putrefactive odor. Sometimes the exudate completely clogs the ear canal and this leads to hearing loss. The exudate released from the ear canal glues the hair of the lower edge of the auricle and, when dried, forms scabs and crusts of gray or light brown color. Sometimes if you lightly press on the base of the ear, you can hear a characteristic splashing sound. When the eardrum is perforated, the cat loses its appetite, its body temperature rises, we notice bow-headedness (the head is turned towards the affected ear), and nervous phenomena appear, including convulsions.

Additional information about the disease can be found in our article – Otodectosis in cats.

Skin inflammation

Various opportunistic microorganisms living on your pet's skin do not harm a healthy animal. But if your cat’s body has been weakened, for example, due to some disease or lack of vitamins, then the population of “harmful” fungi and bacteria increases, causing the cat’s skin condition and general well-being to deteriorate.

The doctor will check for inflammation caused by fungus or bacteria and also conduct a smear examination. As a rule, this inflammation is not the main cause of the disease.

Skin diseases in cats can also cause itching and discomfort. One of the reasons may well be

We suggest you familiarize yourself with: What is the name of the breed of cats similar to the Georgian. All cat breeds with photos

– a secondary bacterial infection localized both in the deep layers and on the surface of the skin.

Also, a disease such as cheyletiellosis, which is caused by mites of the genus Cheyletiella, can lead to itchy skin in cats. These mites look like fast-moving miniature white specks. Most often they can be found along the back. This infectious disease is popularly called “wandering” or “pityriasis” scabies.

But pruritic scabies (notoedrosis) is caused by mites that are similar to Sarcoptes. This infectious disease is highly contagious and is transmitted from a cat through direct contact.

Less common in cats is demodicosis, an infectious disease caused by demodectic mites. In addition to scabies, the cat has dermatitis, as well as baldness (as in the picture on the left).

There are many types of skin inflammation, another type in cats, caused by bacteria:

1. The cat may scratch its neck, behind the ear due to otitis media. The ear hurts, and scratching is the only way available to the animal to somehow respond to the pain and itching. Delaying the treatment of otitis media is dangerous; the cat can scratch the skin until there are wounds and blood. In addition, the pet is in severe pain, you cannot remain indifferent to this. Veterinarians conduct tests, examinations, and prescribe effective treatment.
2. Pyoderma is an inflammation of the skin, its superficial or deep layer. With pyoderma, the cat may go bald, its skin becomes covered with pustules. The pet experiences severe discomfort and irritation. If you prevent the disease from developing too much, you can treat your cat at home. But be sure to follow all the veterinarian’s recommendations.

Stress

A cat is a very emotional animal, accustomed to being affectionate towards itself. Cats by nature are very responsive to affection from the owner, they begin to purr and drool. In case of severe stress – fear, humiliation, undeserved punishment and other psychological pressures, the nervous system reacts with a stressful state. Just like in humans, as a result of severe stress, damage to certain internal organs can worsen and even appear. Often stress in a cat is manifested by a reaction on the part of the skin, the cat begins to itch.

Treatment

Treatment of cats suffering from itching should be aimed at the disease, one of the symptoms of which is itching. Treatment should be prescribed by a veterinary specialist at the clinic.

The course of treatment by a veterinarian is based on a special diet and the use of medications. Some medications can cause allergies in cats, so they must be given under the supervision of a veterinarian.

Medications for cats are prescribed depending on the type of disease.

In case of fungal infection of the skin, the veterinarian takes tests, based on the results of which he chooses a treatment regimen. Therapy is based on taking drugs from the griseofulvin group. Itching is relieved by using a topical antifungal agent.

Drug therapy for ringworm in cats:

Fungin (spray of the drug) is used externally. The active ingredients are clotrimazole and propolis. During treatment, the owner uses a cotton swab to treat most of the affected skin, including the border areas of healthy skin (no more than 2 cm from the lesion). This drug is used for 2 weeks 1 time per day.

Ointment Yam. Apply 2 times a day until the crusts begin to separate and new hair begins to grow. Due to the fact that this drug is potent, owners should not apply this ointment to the skin of the ears (it will cause burns).

Sanoderm ointment - used 2 times a day. The course of treatment is 2-4 weeks.

Antifungal shampoos with chlorhexidine and miconazole are used as therapeutic bathing. (Doctor; Synergy LABS; Alezan).

Cats suffering from ringworm are washed with shampoo once every 3 days for 6 weeks. When treating ringworm, medications containing sulfur, creolin and tar are used (Zoomicol, creolin, birch tar, sulfur ointment, epilconazole).

Vaccination is carried out simultaneously with therapeutic and preventive purposes.

When vaccinating cats against ringworm, veterinary clinics use antifungal vaccines such as Microderm, Vakderm F, Polivac. The use of these vaccines provides a high therapeutic and preventive effect. Vaccine injections are given 2 or 3 times with an interval of 14 days. In cats vaccinated with these vaccines, immunity develops by 25 days after vaccination. If a veterinarian has to vaccinate a cat for therapeutic purposes, then the vaccine is administered 5 times with an interval of 10-14 days.

When the sources of itching in a cat are flea bites , a number of drugs are used that have an effect on fleas: Rolf Club flea shampoo, Celandine Shampoo, Fitoelita Shampoo, Lugovoy flea shampoo, Mr. Shampoo. Kiss”, Shampoo “Bio Groom”, etc. Spray “Bars”. Flea powder “Flicar”, “Insectin”, “Clandestine”.

Today, the most effective medications for treating cats against fleas are considered to be drugs based on selamectin (Stronghold, manufactured by Pfizer Animal Health, USA), finpronil (Frontile, manufactured by MERIAL S.A.S., France), imidacloprid (Advantage, manufactured by Bayer, Germany).

When bathing, use a special shampoo, and then put on a flea collar.

If the source of the cat's itching is the presence of worms , it is dewormed. Veterinary pharmacies sell the following drugs for deworming cats: Panacur, Febtal, Dirofen, Pyrantel, Polyvercan, Prazitel, Profender.

For kittens, veterinary pharmacies sell special gentle medications that do not injure the kitten’s delicate gastrointestinal tract. These drugs include: milbemax, polyvercan, prazicide, pyrantel, dirofen suspension.

The veterinarian prescribes one of the drugs depending on the type of parasite identified during the examination.

When a cat is affected by scabies mites, veterinarians use.

For demodicosis the following medications:

Antiparasitic drugs of the invermectin series: ivermectin, baymecom, otodectin, amirtrazine, eprimek, ivomek, novomec, dectomax, cydectin, etc. These drugs are administered by subcutaneous injection. Preparations for external use - stomazan, butox, etc. Preparations that increase the body’s immunological resistance to parasites, by activating its protective functions and protecting the cat’s body from their re-introduction: immunoparasitan, gamavit, maksidin, Gala - vet, etc. To relieve inflammation of the patient’s skin the animal is prescribed anti-inflammatory and special medications for external use in the form of ointments, gels (pihtoin, sulfur ointment, sea buckthorn oil, Demos liniment, Ivermect gel, Amidel gel, Aversectin ointment, Sofroderm ointment, Cythioate ointment, others.). Special external sprays Acaromectin, Ivormectin, Cydema, Pirol and others. To treat affected skin with scabs, oil preparations of Amita, Ectodex, Tsipam, Mycodemicil, etc. are used. In their absence, simple oils can be used - sea buckthorn, flaxseed, olive. When using them, it is necessary that they are absorbed into the skin, preventing it from licking them off. To do this, the cat can be wrapped up. Skin application once a month between the shoulder blades of Stronghold or Advocate has a good effect. The course of treatment lasts 2-4 months.

Otodectosis. After cleaning, the affected areas are treated with acaricidal preparations (otoferanol, acaromectin, ivermectin, stronghold) by introducing a few drops into the ear canal. To ensure that the injected acaricidal drug is distributed evenly, we massage the auricle with our hands. The pharmaceutical industry produces a large number of acaricidal ear drops “Amit”, “Amitrazin”, “Dekta”, “Tsipam”, “Demos”, “Ektodes”, “Enacid-alpha”, “Dana”, “Mikodemotsid”, “Otovedin”, “Surolan”, “Otoferonol-gold”, “Otoferonol-plus”, “Otoferonol-premium”, “Aurican”, “Anandin-plus”. For ease of use, acaricidal drops are produced in pipettes - “Dana”, “Frontline”, “Fiprist”.

Notoedrose. In the treatment of notoedrosis, aversectin ointment is effective, which must be applied to the affected area of ​​the skin twice a week. Liniment Demos gel, which is applied to the affected area once every four days, helps quickly get rid of ticks; the course of treatment consists of applying this liniment five times. When treating the disease, 0.1% aqueous emulsions of neocidol (diazinon), permethrin (stomazan), and 0.01% aqueous emulsion of butox are used. When treating a sick cat, these acaricidal drugs are used 2 times, with a break of 7-10 days. Stronhold (the use of this drug before 6 months of age is contraindicated), as well as other acaricidal drugs containing ivermectin and selamectin.

In case of an allergic reaction in a cat, antihistamines (diazolin, suprastin, diphenhydramine, tavegil, etc.) and glucocorticosteroids (dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, prednisolone, etc.) are used as symptomatic drugs to reduce histamine levels and eliminate itching and swelling.

Remove the allergen from the diet and carefully select a hair care product.

For an infectious disease (otitis, pyoderma, dermatosis), antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, vitamins B and A, and immunomodulators are prescribed.

When using the ointment, put a collar or T-shirt on the cat so that it cannot reach the affected areas of the skin with its paws.

Prevention

Preventive measures boil down to following the following recommendations:

• do not allow your pet to come into contact with stray animals;

• use special means for the prevention of parasitic diseases (collars, sprays, drops, etc.);

• Regularly comb the animal and monitor the condition of the skin and coat;

• feed with good quality food and mixtures from trusted manufacturers;

• Visit your veterinarian regularly for a clinical examination.

Special diet

During treatment, dietary products are selected for the cat, the consumption of which reduces the intensity of itching and the likelihood of relapses. Your cat's daily diet should be balanced. Owners are not recommended to give their cats smoked and sweet foods.

If the cat was eating food before the allergy appeared, then it must be replaced with hypoallergenic food.

In the case when the owners feed the cat regular food, it is necessary to exclude pork, cereals and potatoes from the diet. You need to include fish, vegetables and butter in your diet.

In order to reduce the symptoms of itching in a cat, foods containing fish oil (salmon, sardines, tuna, anchovy) are introduced into the diet.

Prevention

Of course, it is impossible to take everything into account and protect your pet one hundred percent. But there are general recommendations that will help reduce the risk of developing any problems.

• You need to wisely approach the choice of diet for your pet, read messages on forums and articles, and consult with a breeder or veterinarian.
• You should not use chemical detergents to wash cat litter; you should try to ensure that the cat has minimal contact with them.
• It is necessary to promptly treat even small wounds and scratches on the skin so that infection does not get there.
• Do not squeeze the cat with dirty hands without taking off your outdoor clothes and shoes.
• It is not recommended to pet unfamiliar street animals so as not to bring diseases into the house.
• In the spring you need to treat your cat for parasites.

The most important thing to remember is that the disease is easiest to treat at an early stage. If the cat is itching, but there are no fleas, you need to take care of its condition and immediately take it to the clinic. Then, in most cases, treatment will be quick and painless.