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my cat has dry scabby skin on her back?

Sent to Cat Experts January 12 2007 at 12:55 PM
   

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Customer (name blocked for privacy)
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Info Request
January 12 2007 at 12:59 PM (4 minutes later)
         
REPLIED to Info RequestCheck Mark
Hi,

How old is your cat and on what part of her back is this dry, scabby skin located? Are the scabs red-looking, or whitish? Is there any hairloss or broken hairs around this area?

Is your cat indoor-only?

When did you first notice this?

Cher

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Jessesmom -- Feline Specialist Health/Behavior -- 100% Positive Feedback on 6025 Cat Accepts
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January 13 2007 at 7:40 AM (18 hours and 41 minutes and 8 seconds later)
         
Reply to Jessesmom's Post: Hi my cat is quite over weight aswell which doesn't help. She doesn't go out much and shes had this dry skin condition for about 3 mths now, no hair loss so it isn't mange. We think she has some sort of disorder because she licks either herself or anything near her every 10 seconds lol. Just feel sorry for her because her back obviously irritates her......Her skin just looks really flaky no redness and its just above her tail.

Edited by Customer (name blocked for privacy) on January 13 2007 at 7:43 AM
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January 13 2007 at 9:42 AM (2 hours and 1 minute and 43 seconds later)
         
REPLIEDCheck Mark
Hi again, and thanks for your additional information.

Because your cat is overweight, she can't properly groom in this area (my cat has the same problem), so it's up to you to help keep this area brushed/combed and clean. The base of the tail is a popular area for a condition called 'stud tail' to occur, which is evidenced by scaly, scabby, sometimes waxy, greasy, yellowish patches of skin with little particles of black hardened skin oils present. This is caused by overproduction of the sebaceous (oil) and scent glands in this particular area.

http://www.fabcats.org/acneandstudtail.html

As long as there's no visible open sores or oozing and irritation in this area, try a dry shampoo (see below) or other grooming products to spray on your cat to help keep her fur clean and hydrated since she can't reach to clean it herself. Adding essential fatty acids to her diet will also help, and brushing/combing daily, will help bring natural skin oils to the surface. These products from Drs. Foster & Smith should help:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/NavResults.cfm?N=2002+113734

The Grizzly Salmon Oil spray should help with the condition of her coat, and check out all the other products under skin/coat care and grooming, including waterless shampoo.

I would also first have the vet check out your cat's skin in this area, to make sure it's not caused by a systemic problem in her body and doesn't need a prescription medication to help clear it up.

Good luck! I hope my suggestions have been helpful.

Cher

Edited by Jessesmom on January 13 2007 at 9:49 AM

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Jessesmom -- Feline Specialist Health/Behavior -- 100% Positive Feedback on 6025 Cat Accepts
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January 15 2007 at 8:06 AM (1 day and 22 hours later)
         
Reply to Jessesmom's Post: The skin is dry no waxy bits at all I have got some tea tree oil spray which the pet store recommended but im unsure whether to use it as im scared this may sting my cat when i apply it. If it was on a human I would have thought it was eczema.......
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January 15 2007 at 9:43 AM (1 hour and 36 minutes and 33 seconds later)
         
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January 15 2007 at 9:53 AM (10 minutes and 3 seconds later)
         
The stuff I bought was Johnsons veterinary tea tree skin calm to soothe and calm itchy skin, it says its for use on cats and dogs ????
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January 15 2007 at 1:17 PM (3 hours and 23 minutes and 34 seconds later)
         
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January 15 2007 at 5:12 PM (3 hours and 55 minutes and 24 seconds later)
         
Thankyou for all your suggestions I will take her to the vets we just always thought she was abit strange as she is not a normal cat almost human to be honest such a loveable fat little panda cat ! We only noticed about the licking and nibbling as we call it when we stroked her back she would chomp on anything near her including the other cats !!!! I do agree about the OCD as I said earlier she can't not lick anything for more than 10 seconds, although I'm not sure as to what would have triggered it as she has never been in a stressful or emotional situation unless you call going in the back garden for a roll on the ground. Once again thankyou.....Dawn.
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January 15 2007 at 6:50 PM (1 hour and 38 minutes and 16 seconds later)
         
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January 15 2007 at 6:52 PM (1 minute and 39 seconds later)
         
I thought the chomping was actually because she was getting excitied. She purrs constantly so I don't think shes in any pain with it.
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January 15 2007 at 7:15 PM (22 minutes and 40 seconds later)
         
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January 16 2007 at 10:30 AM (15 hours and 15 minutes and 34 seconds later)
         
I decided to flea her again just on the off chance that this could also be a cause and worm her although all my cats are up to date....
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January 16 2007 at 12:07 PM (1 hour and 36 minutes and 53 seconds later)
         
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January 16 2007 at 4:29 PM (4 hours and 22 minutes and 2 seconds later)
         

Johnsons 4 fleas http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=51&pf_id=4196 and Johnsons 4fleas household spray http://www.ukpetsupplies.com/detail.aspx?ID=169 .

Worming tablets are Johnsons easy wormer granules for cats and kittens http://www.seapets.co.uk/product-details/stkcode/454205.html

Hope this helps, Dawn.

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January 16 2007 at 5:44 PM (1 hour and 14 minutes and 40 seconds later)
         
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Jessesmom -- Feline Specialist Health/Behavior -- 100% Positive Feedback on 6025 Cat Accepts
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January 16 2007 at 9:12 PM (3 hours and 28 minutes and 44 seconds later)
         

Just had a look and the active ingredient in the worming product is Fenbendazole. It doesn't say on the Flea products what their active ingredient is. Her trip to the vets is booked for next week, although she doesn't seems to be as bad but I will take her regardless.

I do tend to use Johnsons produts alot as they are usually very effective also Johnsons are a Veternairy Group which is mainly why I use them.

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January 17 2007 at 1:11 PM (15 hours and 58 minutes and 50 seconds later)
         
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