What Can You Give A Cat For Itchy Skin?

Fleas remain the most common cause of skin disease in cats, although this is not true in all countries (in some regions fleas are rare), and fleas are non the only cause of pruritus (itchy skin) in cats. Where fleas are not the answer, often a much more detailed and meticulous approach is needed to detect the diagnosis.

In some instances in cats, information technology can be very difficult to differentiate between skin disease due to pruritus and peel disease induced past other causes. For example, in humans and dogs, hair loss is almost ever hormonal in origin. However, in cats, hormonal pare disease is and then rare equally to be nearly non-existent. Hair loss in cats is actually almost always caused past excessive self-grooming due to pruritus — only cats may be 'underground groomers' and often we may be unaware that the cat is grooming more frequently or more aggressively.

Severe pruritus and eosinophilic
plaques associated with flea allergy – notation matting of the fur with saliva

Manifestations of feline pruritus

Mutual manifestations of pruritic skin disease in cats include:

Overt itching, scratching and cocky-induced skin damage
Symmetrical pilus loss
'Miliary' dermatitis – this class of skin disease is characterised past the presence of tiny 2-3 mm diameter crusts throughout the body surface. The peel and coat may besides be greasy and accept excessive dandruff
Eosinophilic granuloma complex – come across eosinophilic granuloma complex in cats – this is a variety of skin lesions (indolent ulcer that affects the upper lip, and eosinophilic plagues or eosinophilic granulomas that can affect various areas of the body and also the oral fissure. They are ordinarily associated with allergies.   All of these manifestations of pruritus expect completely different, but can all be caused by the same things — in near instances the crusade is fleas but other parasites and allergies tin be involved. Some cats may take more than than 1 manifestation of disease present simultaneously eg, indolent ulcer and symmetrical hair loss.

What can cause cats to itch other than fleas?

Of import causes of pruritus other than fleas include:

Food intolerance/allergy
Atopy (house grit and pollen allergy)
Insect bites
Ear mites and other mites
Bacterial infections

Food intolerance or allergy

No-one knows the exact mechanisms by which sure foods can make animals and humans itch. Allergy may exist involved, but in some cases, it is possible that the pruritus may outcome from chemic reactions to the food or to additives and preservatives.

All the same, it is well recognised that changing the diet to a food that cats have not previously been exposed to can cure some cases of pruritic skin disease. Most of these are probably food allergies but the terms 'food intolerance' or 'food-responsive' pare disease are sometimes used as a specific diagnosis is often not made.

Cats may need to be fed an alternative diet for a period of 6-8 weeks to rule out food-response dermatitis, and the choice of food is of import. This is not simply switching one brand of true cat food for another, every bit the ingredients are often very similar. Your vet will advise you lot on the about appropriate nutrition to employ – this might exist a dwelling-prepared nutrition, or your vet may advise a special 'hypoallergenic' diet for the trial period. Many cats also hunt or may be fed by neighbours, which can complicate the trial as it is important that no other foods are eaten during the trial period.

Atopy (atopic dermatitis; dust and pollen allergy)

Atopy is not well characterised in cats. In humans and dogs, the term is strictly used to draw an inherited predisposition to develop allergic reactions to ecology allergens (such every bit pollen and house dust). Allergies to pollen and house dust occur in cats, and may be a potential cause of pruritus, simply they are difficult to diagnose and it is unknown whether there is an inherited component to the disease.

In well-nigh cats, atopy is diagnosed by ruling out other potential causes of pruritus, including fleas and other parasites, and food. Allergy testing tin exist performed on cats (for example intra-derma peel tests) but the results are rather unreliable. Blood tests are also offered by some laboratories to 'diagnose' atopy and the underlying cause of the allergy, but these are less reliable than skin tests, and both fake positive and false negative tests are well recognised.

Atopy is incurable and life-long medication is needed to forbid unacceptable discomfort. Treatment with essential fatty acids and anti-histamines is successful in only a minority of cases. Many cats demand long-term corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive drugs such equally cyclosporin. If an allergy test has successfully identified the offending allergen, so it is possible to employ a 'hyposensitisation vaccine' every bit a therapy – these rarely resolve the disease but in some cases reduce the need for drug therapy.

Insect bites

Insects such equally wasps and bees tin can crusade stings that lead to dramatic, painful and swollen skin. However, some other insects including fleas, midges, flies and mosquitoes may bite and the reaction to the bite (or the insect saliva) may cause intense irritation and pruritus. Flight insects usually bite relatively hairless areas such as the bridge of the nose and ears. Notably, mosquitoes have been reported to cause an eosinophilic granuloma-like reaction on the span of the nose of some cats (mosquito-bite hypersensitivity).

Ear mites –Otodectes cynotis

Ear mites are well known every bit the major cause of otitis externa (ear inflammation) in young cats and in breeding colonies – see common ear issues in cats. However, it is too possible for the mites to wander onto the skin effectually the head and neck and cause pruritic skin disease at these sites. As cats slumber curled up, spread of infection (and subsequent dermatitis) to the rump and tail may also occur.

Other mites

Harvest mites are a recognised cause of skin illness in cats in some areas in late summer and autumn – see harvest mite infection in cats. These tiny orange dot sized mites are visible to the naked eye and ordinarily found between the toes and in Henry's pocket of the ear flap.

In some parts of the earth, the mitesNoedres cati andSarcoptes scabiei may be institute on cats and may be a cause of intense pruritus.

Bacterial peel infections (pyoderma) and fungal (yeast) infections

Although bacterial peel disease in cats is uncommon, it may occur and there are occasional cases of spectacular recovery following antibiotic treatment in pruritic cats. This is unusual, merely more work is needed in this expanse.

Dermatophytosis (infection with a dermatophyte fungal organism) is not usually pruritic, but skin infection with yeasts (Malassezia) can be a problem in some cats – this is often secondary to allergic skin disease, but the yeasts may also contribute to the pruritus.

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