What You May Not Know About Cat Skin Diseases
Cat skin diseases are among the most common ailment of the feline species. There are many conditions that can result in a feline having poor skin, and as a general rule a cat with bad skin is likely an unhealthy one. It is possible for felines to develop a skin condition based on hereditary traits as well as a poor diet, but even so, it is important to isolate the cause behind the skin condition and seek the proper course of treatment.
The first and most common of the cat skin diseases is irritation caused by fleas. The flea has 15 different “antigens” in its saliva, any one of which could cause a cat to have an allergic reaction. Once a cat who is sensitive to flea bites has been bitten, the area can develop lesions. The lesions are likely to be red and often have a crusty appearance. The most common symptom of this kind of skin allergy is that the cat will bite at the base of his tail on a nearly constant basis. The area around the base of the tail can begin to go bald as the cat continuously bites and scratches at the area. In a severe case, even a few flea bites can cause the cat’s entire body to itch this way, resulting in hours and sometimes days of itchy misery. While there are injections that can be given as an attempt to desensitize the cat’s allergy to a more manageable state, these are not widely effective. The most effective treatment method is to simply prevent your cat from getting fleas altogether. This could mean treating the house as well as the yard for fleas using a pesticide. You may also choose to give your cat a bath using anti-flea shampoo to kill the adult fleas. The flea bath will need to be repeated within a week or two to kill off any remaining fleas.
Another very common cause of cat skin diseases is a poor diet or a food allergy. Many pets—and not just cats—can react with an itchy skin disorder if their diet contains too much processed material. A food allergy will usually produce symptoms of dry, itchy skin that causes the cat to scratch and bite himself often. If the allergy is severe, he may start to lose hair in a few areas—usually those he can best reach to scratch. These symptoms will happen on a year-round basis as long as the cat is being fed the same problematic food. The most common foods behind a feline allergy are wheat gluten, soy, seafood, lamb, corn, beef, and dairy. If you have a look at the ingredients in your cat’s food, a few of these will likely be present because they are often used in cat food. If your cat seems to be vomiting or has diarrhea after meals, he is most likely suffering from intolerance to the food, rather than an allergy.
Ringworm is yet another common culprit behind cat skin diseases. Ringworm, contrary to popular belief, is not caused by a worm—it is a fungus. This fungus thrives on the keratin found in the skin and they prefer areas of the skin that are warm and moist. Ringworm can usually be spotted by the characteristic “ring” shape on the skin that often causes hair loss of the immediate area. If there hasn’t been any hair loss, you can detect ringworm by shining a black light against your cat’s fur. The ringworm will usually show up fluorescent under the light. Be very careful if your cat tests positive for ringworm as this fungus IS transferrable between cat and human. To treat ringworm, the veterinarian may issue an oral prescription, a topical cream, or an anti-fungal shampoo. The veterinarian may also give the cat a ringworm vaccination to help the cat’s immune system fight the infection faster.
These are just a few of the skin diseases that can affect felines. There are many other possible conditions that can cause cat skin diseases. If your cat is suffering from an unknown skin condition, the best course of action is to schedule an appointment with his veterinarian to get a proper diagnosis and treatment suggestion.