How do I stop my cat from scratching all the skin off of her neck?
By Silver Cloud from Mississauga, ON, Canada
Hi. Aaahh, poor little Kirby. My cat had the same problem, and it ended up that she had allergies. She would scratch herself raw and be miserable. She needed to get allergy shots, and it helped. Good luck
I have a white cat about 2 years old. Last year he started scratching his neck raw! We tried everything. Food allergies, steroid shots, wrapped his neck, soft claws on his nails. Revolution. Finally, after changing vets, the only thing that worked was getting an antihistamine (we use chlorophenaramine) we bought 4mg pills (human pills) cut them in half and give him half a pill twice a day.
Change food. Start with no food from grocery store pet food aisle. No corn wheat or soy. Cooking is good especially when you do some raw. Please google healthy kitty diet including raw. -- Itch? Athletes foot spray. If kitty is wild on this application, use the ointment.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
My little Dante just went into heat about 7 days ago. She is about 5 months old. We have four other cats that all live indoors only and span from thirteen years to three years old.
We live in the Sierra Nevada foot hills and my nearest neighbor is about 150 feet away from my house. Last night there was a fire at his house because he had a meth lab that that went up according to the fire department and the fire took out a lot of his house and property. The smoke was profuse and we were on alert to evacuate in case it crossed the fire lane separating the properties and if the smoke got too bad because it was a drug making operation.
She was in the carrier for over half the night along with her surrogate mother Betty who loves her dearly. The other cats were in their own carriers. I an unsure if she is having a reaction from the stress from last night, the smoke from the meth lab, from her being in heat, or if she had started having an unexplained allergy and I don't know what to do! I cannot afford to take her to the vet right away until I get my taxes back. Please help with my question, Thank you very much.
By Lederofcola from Auberry, CA
I really don't feel that Lizzyanny was being judgemental in any way. She was simply trying to stress how important it was to see a vet because of all that was going on and the many things that could be causing the scratching. So many pet owners would not have realized the importance of that and she was just offering advice.
My 3 y.o. cat scratches his neck raw. I have seen the vet a number of times and am seeing a skin specialist currently, but I don't think it is an allergy. It seems more like i's compulsive. He has had a cone for quite a while and I feel so sorry for him. Suggestions?
Is the vet/specialist looking into food or litter allergies? Cats are often allergic to things that make them itch themselves like that. So painful.
Is it in a place you can put a sweater or tee shirt over it to protect it? My one pup was 13 lbs and while she was in treatment for a boo boo on her back, she wore a 2t cotton tee shirt. It protected the spot from being irritated and rubbed. Prayers for healing! Post back with an update!
You are currently seeing a doctor for this problem and they don't seem to find any type of allergy or other reason he is doing this one. If you had a cone around his neck for a while this could be one reason he is scratching his neck again. I had had to take an old bandana for one of my cats and put coconut oil on this. Then I tied it around their neck to heal the wound and stop them from scratching.
My cat Peaches has been scratching at the back of his neck fiercely for a few months. At first it was because of fleas, and I grabbed some flea treatment from the vet. The fleas went away, but he was still scratching and wouldn't let himself heal (think if you had a huge scab that you ripped off, it looked like that all the time).
I stopped that flea medicine this month because, it was right where the meds would go (not good) and I thought it might be causing him to itch more. After stopping he started to heal up. He was fine, but I just noticed today that he is back at it! I haven't seen any more fleas, but I'll be checking again tomorrow. I just got a new job and won't be paid for about 2-3 weeks so I can't take him to the vet just yet. I wanted to know any other reasons he could be doing this.
He's just under a year and a half old. He's been on the same food for most of his life. It is not a store brand such as Purina, Friskies, etc. Chicken is the main ingredient. He's an indoor only cat. I rarely ever bathe him (he's had 2 baths in his life).
I'm not home all the time, so my mom and brother look after him when I'm away. Could it be stress from that? (He's really attached to me. I give him lots of love when I'm home.) I haven't noticed any other symptoms that could be any parasite, but I'll still keep an eye out.
Any more ideas?
I normally buy a pill from my vet that controls the fleas for 3 months. You can also try to use vinegar to control the fleas on him. You would mix 1 part vinegar with 3 parts water. Put in a spray bottle and spray on the area and on him. Also invest in a flea comb and comb him daily. This will find the fleas on the cat. When you find a flea either smash it or put it in pure vinegar to kill the flea.
The scratching can be from a number of things, even a slight food allergy. If you can't find any bugs or a flea bomb won't do, you might want to change out the foods.
This is a common problem with cats and dogs and there does not seem to be a "one treatment fits all" so you may have to try several things before you find a cure.
Start with basics: you can put a drop or two of olive oil or coconut oil on the inflamed area (rub it on his spot while holding/petting him). No vinegar on any inflamed area as it will cause him pain.
Consider changing his food as he chicken may be causing an allergy problem. Blue Wilderness Salmon cat food does not have chicken by products but the cost is $19.99 for 5 pounds. If interested, you can find it at most pet stores/farm stores and Ace or True Value hardware stores (probably others too). Link at bottom showing product information.
Change litter to an unscented clumping product as he may be allergic to the perfume in his present litter.
Be sure his nails are always clipped short (do it yourself or have the vet do this at your next visit).
You can get an inexpensive flea comb at a pet store or even Target. It's a comb that has teeth very close together. Comb the cat's fur where tail and back meet. Fleas will come with the comb if there are any and flea dander will appear. Comb the cat all over too to make sure. Your cat may like this (but all do). Have a small bowl of water with a couple of drops of liquid Dawn dish soap close by so you can dip the comb (fleas or not) into the dish and comb several times. You can comb around the neck also but do not get the water on the inflamed spot.
Here is suggestion to control the cat being able to reach the sore spot.
Restricting access to the wound is key to helping it heal. Make a turtle neck for him. Take an old tube sock and cut off the toe part. Then cut 2 large holes in the sides and when you put it on him, the ankle part of the sock is the turtle neck. This works best with a tube sock but other socks will work. It keeps him from having access to the sore and it heals up in about a week or so. Apply some ointment or olive/coconut oil to it once or twice a day.
Try to remember if there were any changes to his routine before this started as that might be something that triggered this problem and now it has become a habit and each time it starts to heal it itches and he keeps scratching. If you think some of the problem may be this you could try using a product called Rescue Remedy as it can be used to gently calm a pet for a short period of time. Follow directions closely and it is a highly recommended product for cases like this.
If you have to give him flea meds you might try something that can mixed with food. Several are available at pet stores but here is information one type.
www.marvistavet.com/
www.petco.com/
My cat has very itchy skin around his neck ever since he had to wear an Elizabethan collar post-op. A cortisone injection cleared up the itchy scabs, but now they've come back, and the poor old boy is scratching a lot. Is there an alternative to cortisone to ease his itching skin?
By Debera from Australia
Hello,
Yes! there is another medication that your Veterinarian can give you. Please give him/her a call and ask. Good luck. If you cat wears a collar, please take it off, and make sure you use flea prevention.
No grocery aisle commercial cat food. Usual first ingredient is corn. BIG allergen to cats and dogs along with wheat and soy fillers. I am a firm believer in Nzymes granules. Container will last a very long time. Builds immune system. Helps skin, digestion, allergies, joints and general health. Kitty food, best i have found besides raw diet along with Evo. While more expensive, pets eat less of it because they are satisfied and not gobbling fillers. Nzymes help with the raw diet change. I can't say enough about what a help Nzymes is. No, I don't sell it or profit in any way. Just enjoy helping animals and their comfort and health. If you have fleas, they must be eliminated. 20 mule team Borax, dry into carpets, cedercide in yard areas. Please no more chemicals, no pharma, no vaccines, no suffering. Build the immune system, do not destroy it.
Give him a bath on the original CAREX (blue) it really works.
Best of luck.
Olivia.
Thank you muttmom. Where can I get all these natural ingredients in England?
Sometimes animals pick up fleas at the vet. Check your cat by looking all through his fur for black specks. If you find any ask the vet for some treatment. Do not buy over the counter flea treatment. It can make your cat sick. I know. If this is not your problem you should take him back to the vet for another check up.
My cat that I adopted from the Humane Society in April 2019, is now 6 years old and had very healthy fur until 4 days ago. I brought home a cat box from my parents' house as they got new ones and offered theirs since they had a top on their litter boxes. My cat tends to get litter everywhere. The next morning, my cat had a bare spot on the back of her neck. The next day, she started scratching it raw.
I can't afford to go to the vet till next Friday, so I put her cat harness on her to prevent her from getting to it. I also put a flea treatment on her to see if it could've been fleas. Two more days passed and it was finally scabbing. Well, tonight I took off her harness to see if she would stop touching the bare spot and she scratched the scab off. I believe it could be stress, but I am not sure. Please help.
She could have fleas or mites. Call the vet and work out a payment plan.
My cat, Domino, has started to scratch off the skin on her neck since my other cat passed. Literally the day she passed, Domino started scratching and I've put all different types of cream on and nothing seems to help.
Could this be stress? Or is it just an allergy?It sounds like stress to me. You may have to put a cone on her.
So sorry for the loss of your fur baby. Sounds like your other fur baby is mourning. They are people too.
Check with your vet. Describe what is happening and they can give you options for resolving.
If you don't have a vet, the local humane society or local cat rescue can often give you a reference and may even be able to help at a reduced or no cost (although our vet often gives us help over the phone for free....I think we are just very lucky to be blessed with such an amazing clinic).
Getting over a loss takes time...so be easy on yourself and your fur child!! I bet lots of rubs and treats would go a long way too!!
This is one of those tough ones because it could be a lot of different things. It could be stress, it could be a new skin condition. Most likely you will need to try what works and what doesn't. It sounds like you are already trying creams. I would take a few days and try what is easy, and if it doesn't solve the problem, or it gets worse you will need to see your Vet. I would start with stress. Look for signs of what may upset her. Loud music, barking dogs. Make sure she has a comfy place up high where she feels safe. I have been amazed at how music affects my cats. They love the Enya, flute mood music played very softly. Maybe a quiet room with music where she can get away. Then I would make sure she gets lots of attention and play. Maybe some new toys and special treats. If she isn't perking up in a couple weeks I would see the Vet. They have good medications now for moods problems in cats. But she just may have to get through this mourning to be her old self.
Yes. It could be stress. you can use a product made for hot spots. that worked on my cat. good luck.
My fur baby WitchCat is about 9 years old and we have had her since she was a baby. She is an indoor/outdoor cat. We give her the proper meds to make sure she doesn't get fleas or any kind of parasites. We also have her on a controlled diet with food that helps with weight, since she is a fatty, and coat health. We noticed she started getting what we call "boo boos" around her neck after the first few years after her first litter so probably around 2 1/2 to 3 years of age. At first we thought she was still promiscuous and the wounds where from other male cats. It wasn't until recently that we found out she was doing it to herself. We had her stay inside for about 2 weeks because of the weather and we noticed wounds not scratches or cuts, but pieces of open skin bleeding all around her neck and now she is moving on the top of her eye so around her brow and even her cheek.
We where thinking maybe it was because she was stressed, but she didn't act any differently and we never caught her in the act. Like I said she is a very healthy cat and has no problem being left alone, she prefers it usually.
I was wondering if there was a reason for this. I've read about parasites and fleas and honestly don't think that is the issue. I also read about food allergies, but she only eats the food she's been eating since we first brought her home. I really would like to help my little girl. The wounds are very itchy because when I clean them she starts trying to scratch that spot.
What a gorgeous cat! My friend's cat was scratching herself raw the last month and we found out it was a developed food allergy. He modified her diet and now her patches are curing nicely.
She may have an allergy or some skin condition. I would mention this to the vet.
It is either an allergy or mites. The vet can do tests to confirm.
i think you have my son's cat!
She is very pretty. This is a very frustrating thing for you and your cat but there has to be a reason she is doing this. Most people will say the same thing - ask your vet and I agree but maybe that is not possible right away.
Here is a very good site that has a lot of information and some suggestions to try. Hope something will help.
pets.webmd.com/
My cat had a collar on for about 2 months, but ripped it off. Now he has scratch marks all over his neck! He also has a really bad scratch on his face and is always scratching at it. I have another cat and they're not the best of friends, so I don't know whether it's related to that (stress) or something else. I would really like some help because it's always bleeding and I'm scared it will get infected.
It is very hard to say what caused the scratches. He may have an allergy. Cats can get a type of skin cancer (usually easy to cure). A scratch that doesn't heal would send me to the vet right away.
The scratches could be infected. Cats get fecal residue on their feet when they go to the litterbox. Then they scratch themselves. If he got scratched fighting with the other cat infection can result.
I'd try triple antibiotic ointment, though he'll probably lick it off. Watch for a few days and if it doesn't seem to be helping take him to the vet.
Please do not put Neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment on cats it is toxic to their bone marrow
My indoor cat scratched a spot on his neck and won't stop scratching it. I put Neosporin on and it looks better, but he is still scratching although not as much. It has a scab over the spot and he still scratches and opens up the scab. Am I doing the right thing?
By Rita
Is it ringworm? www.peteducation.com/
I just moved to a new apartment a few months ago so it could easily be allergies. My cat is scratching her neck, I haven't looked closely at it, but it feels like the little scabs she had all over her skin when she had fleas. I am a poor college kid so I'm trying to figure out what it is without taking her to the vet, but I feel like it's about time to go to the vet anyway.
When she did have the scabs all over her body I decided it was flea bite sensitivity, I treated her for fleas. Everything went away, but around her neck. She is still eating fine and acting like herself, but she is scratching her neck like crazy. I don't know if I should worry about her or just wait and see if it just goes away since she's acting fine.Something is definitely bothering your cat and it probably won't disappear on it's own. Please take her to the vet ASAP. Delay may only worsen the problem and your cat is obviously suffering.
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My cat Kirby is about 3 yrs old. About 4 months ago he started scratching his neck until it is raw. He has been to the vet, but I didn't get any answers other than he does not have fleas or ear mites.
