How to Diagnose Feline Skin Problems
Look for wounds., Look for crusting skin or dandruff., Watch your cat’s behavior., Check for bald spots., Look for color changes., Look for sores or lesions.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for wounds.
Wounds might be painful, moist, oozing, or discharging.
Alternately, they might already by scarred over, and you might find only spots or scabs left behind by a nasty feline skin problem.When you detect a wound on your cat, monitor it regularly.
If it changes color or begins to ooze, stink, or discharge, the wound is infected.
Contact your vet for further instructions. -
Step 2: Look for crusting skin or dandruff.
Dry, flaky, or crusting skin is a common problem in felines.
The condition could be due to any one of a variety of medical conditions.
For instance, your cat might have mange, a condition caused by parasitic mite infestations.Diabetes is also a possible cause.
Abnormal skin growths (neoplasia) or cancers are also a potential culprit., Irritation is best detected by watching your cat’s behavior.
If your cat shakes its head, bites, or excessively licks a particular part of its body, it’s probably due to skin irritation.Your cat will probably not scratch itself with its paws.
This behavior is common in dogs, but not in cats.Conditions commonly associated with itching and skin irritation include epitheliotropic lymphoma (a rare cancer), pemphigus foliaceus (an autoimmune condition), and fleas., If your cat has an area of irritation – a wound, abscess, or other skin problem – they will probably reveal the irritated area by licking it excessively, leading to hair loss.
In the course of normal interactions with your cat, check it regularly for wounds and areas of hair loss.Before the area is completely denuded of fur, you might be able to see matted areas on your cat’s fur.
This is also a sign that your cat has a skin problem. , Macules – areas of the skin that change color – are common in feline cases of inflammation or injury.
Redness is the most common macule discoloration.
If your cat’s fur is thin and you can see its skin, check for red skin.
Other color changes are also possible, though, including brown, red, black, yellow, and reddish purple.Yellow, or jaundiced, skin often results from liver disease.
Redness, the most common type of discoloration, is produced by a vast number of conditions, including malassezia (a yeast infection) or cancer.
Wheals – raised areas of the skin, sometimes referred to as “cat hives” – might appear whitish or red. , Sores and lesions are feline skin problems associated with raised, discolored bumps on the skin.
They might be filled with pus or fluid.
Like other feline skin problems, sores and lesions can originate due to a diverse array of different conditions.
For instance, your cat might have:
Bowen’s disease, a sort of carcinoma (cancer) Mosquito bite hypersensitivity, a sort of mosquito allergy Burns, which can produce lesions if the cat is burned badly Cold agglutinin disease, a condition caused by proteins that block blood vessels, damaging them -
Step 3: Watch your cat’s behavior.
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Step 4: Check for bald spots.
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Step 5: Look for color changes.
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Step 6: Look for sores or lesions.
Detailed Guide
Wounds might be painful, moist, oozing, or discharging.
Alternately, they might already by scarred over, and you might find only spots or scabs left behind by a nasty feline skin problem.When you detect a wound on your cat, monitor it regularly.
If it changes color or begins to ooze, stink, or discharge, the wound is infected.
Contact your vet for further instructions.
Dry, flaky, or crusting skin is a common problem in felines.
The condition could be due to any one of a variety of medical conditions.
For instance, your cat might have mange, a condition caused by parasitic mite infestations.Diabetes is also a possible cause.
Abnormal skin growths (neoplasia) or cancers are also a potential culprit., Irritation is best detected by watching your cat’s behavior.
If your cat shakes its head, bites, or excessively licks a particular part of its body, it’s probably due to skin irritation.Your cat will probably not scratch itself with its paws.
This behavior is common in dogs, but not in cats.Conditions commonly associated with itching and skin irritation include epitheliotropic lymphoma (a rare cancer), pemphigus foliaceus (an autoimmune condition), and fleas., If your cat has an area of irritation – a wound, abscess, or other skin problem – they will probably reveal the irritated area by licking it excessively, leading to hair loss.
In the course of normal interactions with your cat, check it regularly for wounds and areas of hair loss.Before the area is completely denuded of fur, you might be able to see matted areas on your cat’s fur.
This is also a sign that your cat has a skin problem. , Macules – areas of the skin that change color – are common in feline cases of inflammation or injury.
Redness is the most common macule discoloration.
If your cat’s fur is thin and you can see its skin, check for red skin.
Other color changes are also possible, though, including brown, red, black, yellow, and reddish purple.Yellow, or jaundiced, skin often results from liver disease.
Redness, the most common type of discoloration, is produced by a vast number of conditions, including malassezia (a yeast infection) or cancer.
Wheals – raised areas of the skin, sometimes referred to as “cat hives” – might appear whitish or red. , Sores and lesions are feline skin problems associated with raised, discolored bumps on the skin.
They might be filled with pus or fluid.
Like other feline skin problems, sores and lesions can originate due to a diverse array of different conditions.
For instance, your cat might have:
Bowen’s disease, a sort of carcinoma (cancer) Mosquito bite hypersensitivity, a sort of mosquito allergy Burns, which can produce lesions if the cat is burned badly Cold agglutinin disease, a condition caused by proteins that block blood vessels, damaging them
About the Author
Kelly Gonzalez
Enthusiastic about teaching organization techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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