Cat Skin Problems

If you own a cat you know that they can be very prone to skin disorders. Cat skin problems are usually due to allergies, fleas, feline acne or ringworm. But on top of that, many of these problems will cause your cat to itch so badly that it starts to scratch obsessively.

In addition to these common causes of skin problems, your cat may also develop a condition due to stress.

The good thing about this is that your veterinarian may be able to give your cat a hormone shot in order to control the problem.

If your cat is suffering from a skin problem, it is more than likely being caused by fleas. This is the number one cause of skin problems in cats. Felines with cat flea allergy have a serious reaction to being bitten by a flea, their skin can become inflamed and very itchy resulting in the cat developing sores.

Fleas can affect cats of any ages, but as they get older the skin problems that occur due to fleas can become more severe.

Just like in humans, pollen and other airborne particles can irritate the nasal passages and cause your cat to suffer from skin and coat problems and allergies.

Food allergies are the third most common cause of allergy based cat skin conditions. A pet suffering from a food allergy will likely be feeling very itchy.

Some cats consume many different processed food proteins and colorings, which may be changed by their digestive systems into foreign material that gets attacked by the immune system.

It is easy to think that a food allergy related skin problem would be due to a change in your cat’s diet. This is not always so.

Many food allergies take time to develop and your cat may have been eating the problem food for some time without ill effects.

Distinguishing between cat skin problems caused by a reaction to certain foods, and skin disorders caused because of a generic disposition (atopy,) is not simple. Veterinarians may need to make certain tests to determine the cause.

Intradermal skin testing may be carried out which entails sedating the cat and shaving an area of fur. A selection of antigens are then injected into the cat's skin in a pattern. After a short time the area is inspected to see if there is any swelling around any of the needle holes. If there is, it indicates that particular antigen causes a reaction.

Blood tests may be given, but are found to be not very reliable when testing for food allergies.

Dietary elimination trials are usually very effective. The cat is feed protein sources that are not part of her usual diet. It may take several weeks before positive improvement.

When you are trying to find out what is causing your cat skin problems, you will need to exercise extreme caution. The reason for this is because your cat may have ringworm, which can in turn be transmitted to humans. If you think that this may be a possibility you will want to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Ringworm is a fungus that lives on the keratin that is found in your cat’s hair, nails, and skin. Microsporum canis is by far the most common type of ringworm to cause your cat skin problems (including loss of hair.)

A well groomed cat is a joy to see. Unfortunately there are many cat skin disorders to be wary of.

Trichophyton mentagrophytes is usually contracted by contact with rodents, and Microsporum gypseum/fulvum is usually contracted from contact with spores in the soil.

Also, sheaths of arthrospores (ringworm causing agents) are produced when an animal is infected and can be found around the infected areas.

Arthrospores can then scatter around the house and live in carpeting, cat bedding, furniture and even air filters for up to 18 months and may cause cat skin problems for other felines.

Washing infected areas thoroughly with bleach is the only way to prevent future outbreaks of skin problems associated with the spores.

Another problem that you and your cat may face is feline acne. This is a common example of a cat skin disorder and can be seen in the form of blackheads that will form on your cat’s chin, lower lip and face.

The main reason that your cat will come across this problem is if it has enlarged sebaceous glands around the face; the same reason that humans suffer from acne. Learn more here - Cat Acne.

Contact dermatitis comes in two varieties, allergic and irritant. Both types are caused by the cat coming into contact with chemicals, plastics and other irritants, producing cat skin problems. Neither is usually seen in very young cats because repeated exposure is necessary before a skin disorder develops.

With irritant contact dermatitis the disorder is caused by direct contact with the offending chemical or substance.

With allergic contact dermatitis it is repeated contact with the chemical that induces sensitization of the skin, that produces an allergic reaction from future contact.

Contact dermatitis is uncommon in cats because the fur helps to prevent the skin form coming into direct contact with chemicals. However areas of the cat's body where the hair is thin, such as the feet and chin, may prove problematical.

Some common causes are oily leafed plants, carpet fresheners, house dust, newsprint, cleansers, and certain topical medications.

Changes of the pigment, skin eruptions, especially noticeable on the chin, ears and underside of the cat are feline skin problems possibly caused by contact allergies.

Prevent these cat skin problems by keeping your pet away from areas where chemicals are in use, or are being stored. By being careful about what you wash your floors with and, if necessary, not supplying your cat with a plastic feeding bowl.

FeLV and FIV positive cats undergo a weakening of their immune system.

This means that they are not able to resist secondary infections and are at risk of many cat illnesses, including cat skin problems. If you think your cat may be suffering from FeLV or FIV, you should contact your veterinarian right away.

There is a sebaceous gland close to the base of the tail in cats and other animals. This gland can become overactive and excrete excessive oils. The gland can also become infected.

The base of the tail gets covered in waxy oils that can be foul smelling and cause hair loss, lesions and bacterial infection.The disorder is most usually found in un-neutered Toms but any cat can get this skin condition. Treatment consists of daily grooming and twice daily use of antiseborrheic shampoos.

Cats love to laze and snooze in the sun, there is a danger in that however, too much exposure to the sun can result in skin cancers.

It is for this reason it is recommended that cats are kept out of the sun during the hours around midday, when it is at it's strongest. If a cat has to be outside all day, somewhere for her to get shade should be provided, along with fresh water.

White cats, cats with white patches and cats of other light colors are most at risk. Hair is usually thin around the ears and nose and these areas should be regularly inspected.

PetAlive Skin and Coat Tonic contains a combination of especially selected herbs, nutrients and biochemic tissue salts known for their tonic and healing effect on the skin and hair.

Whether your cat has a chronic or acute skin condition or whether he or she just needs a bit of a help after a bout of illness, PetAlive Skin and Coat Tonic will quickly help to restore shine and health, as well as healing most chronic and acute skin conditions. 100% natural ingredients: Get More Information about PetAlive Skin and Coat Tonic for Healthy Skin and a Glossy Coat in Pets

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