Cats Can Have Skin Conditions Too
Did you know that cats could suffer from skin conditions that need treatment just like humans? You may notice excessive scratching or itching that will lead to patchy hair loss, redness, swelling even scabs. Check with your local vet to see what kinds of treatment is recommended for skin conditions.
Three most common skin conditions that your cat may be suffering from are flea dermatitis, allergic reactions to food or environmental factors such as household plants and illness such as with autoimmune disorders that contribute to skin conditions. Parasites and mites may cause these conditions such as ear mites and mange.
Your vet will test the skin or fur to see what is causing the skin irritation. Your vet will depend on the results of the test recommend treatment. Certain skin conditions such, as in the case of fleas, prevention is the best treatment. Other conditions require a strict control over the environment. Topical medications may be prescribed if there are hives or redness.
Cats can be allergic to chicken, poultry, or dairy products. This is one reason why cats should never be fed table scraps.
Plants that have oily leaves, such as rubber plants can cause a cat to have a reaction to it. If you purchased or received a new plant and your cat starts to lose hair, develop hives, bumps or lesions or you find that the cat scratches so much that it makes itself bleed you may be dealing with an allergic reaction and should make an appointment with your vet.
Flea dermatitis can be very itchy and can cause the cat to scratch so much that the scratching can lead to skin infections.
Did you know that your cat could have an allergic skin reaction to a topical medication? Many flea treatments that are sold commercially contain ingredients that can irritate a cat’s skin causing skin problems for your cat. It is important to observe your cat whenever you use a new topical medication. Observe for signs of redness, or hives that would indicate that your cat is having an allergic skin reaction to the medication that was applied to the skin. Just like humans, cats can have skin conditions too that require special treatment.
You should take your cat to see a vet if you notice any signs of skin irritation or skin infection. Untreated skin conditions can worsen which will then be more costly for the cat’s owner and more distressful for the cat.
To avoid cat skin conditions be careful to feed your cat only food that is made for felines and not human food in order to avoid skin conditions that are food allergy related. To avoid environmental skin conditions be careful when bringing in plants into the household and observe your cat around any plants that you do have especially plants that have oily leaves in order to avoid skin conditions that result from allergic reactions to plant oils. Prevent flea infestations to avoid skin conditions that result from flea dermatitis.
