Why does a cat scratch itself until it hurts? What can you do? Causes of itching in the neck area
The article discusses the main issues related to scratching pets, and also gives an idea of how veterinarians can solve such a problem, since only they can issue a prescription in such a case.
The cat itches a lot until it bleeds, sores and falls out, crawls out, tears out fur, licks a bald spot, crawls out in shreds causes and treatment
A cat whose desire to mate awakens may experience itching due to increased hormone production. It has been noticed that when an animal licks its fur, it instinctively calms down and gains mental balance.
If your cat itches, scabs appear and hair falls out, what to do?
It is worse if the cat's skin and hair follicles are infected by bacteria or fungus, or when the cause of the itching is associated with an allergic reaction. In such cases, only a doctor can prescribe treatment.
After drops and flea treatment, the cat is constantly itching even after vaccinations, bathing, haircuts, injections
For easily excitable animals, not only vaccinations and injections can be stressful, but also haircuts, bathing, flea treatment and similar manipulations. As a result of overexcitation of the nervous system, the animal may experience psychogenic licking and itching.
If a cat scratches its neck, back, withers, skin, cheeks until it bleeds, what to treat?
If a cat scratches its neck, back, withers, skin, cheeks until it bleeds, this is a serious reason to contact a veterinary clinic. But even an experienced veterinarian is not always able to immediately, without laboratory tests, diagnose a skin disease caused by itching. Despite the similarity of symptoms, treatment for itching can be completely different and is selected purely individually.
If a cat scratches its eye, what to do and treat?
One of the effective folk remedies to prevent a cat from scratching its eyes is to wash the eyes with a warm chamomile decoction. However, it will be better if your mustachioed pet is examined by a veterinarian-ophthalmologist.
Cats, cats and kittens have itchy teeth, what to do at home
For kittens and older animals whose teeth itch, it is advisable to purchase special chewing toys. With their help, cats will be able to satisfy their natural desire to chew, as well as clean their teeth of plaque and tartar.
Why does a cat itch with a flea collar?
In some animals, the flea collar itself may cause an allergic reaction. In such cases, anti-flea drops and shampoos can help control insects.
Cat itches against a person, carpet, corners, floor
There are perioral glands on the cat's head. When an animal rubs against a person, a carpet, corners or the floor, the secretion produced by the glands remains on them, thus the cat marks the territory, and at the same time its owner.
The cat itches at the base of its tail and rushes around the apartment
Possible causes of itching at the base of the tail and hyperactivity shown by the animal may be flea bites and a peculiar reaction to estrus.
If the kitten scratches its belly
The most likely reason for a kitten scratching its belly is an allergy.
Itching and irritation of the skin can occur not only from food that the kitten’s body does not accept, but also from substances from the external environment, as well as from flea saliva.
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Our cat also started combing itself, I don’t know what’s wrong with it.
If a cat constantly itches and scratches its neck until it hurts, this does not always mean that fleas have settled in its fur. There are a considerable number of other reasons that provoke severe itching in a cat and the habit of scratching its neck until it bleeds. When such a problem arises, the pet owner begins to think about what to do to alleviate the cat’s condition at home. First, you should determine the cause of severe itching, and then begin to eliminate the problem.
Main reasons
Among the main reasons why a pet develops the habit of scratching its neck until it hurts and bleeds, it is worth highlighting the following:
If, after actively scratching the head and neck, bleeding wounds and sores form on the animal’s skin, then you should immediately consult a veterinarian. At home, the owner can only provide first aid to the pet.
How to help a cat at home?
Treatment will depend directly on the cause of severe itching. At home, you can only alleviate the cat's condition somewhat.
If you suspect that your cat has an allergic reaction to any product or substance, then you should start searching for the allergen at home. . Until it is identified, treatment will not bring proper results. The reason often lies in industrial food or a certain food product, which provokes rashes in the pet’s neck, which he constantly scratches until it bleeds.
Probably, every cat lover has encountered the problem that we described today in our article. It looks terrible when a cat literally scratches itself right down to the flesh. The areas most susceptible to this problem are the neck and the surface behind the ears. But what is it? Maybe there’s a tick attached that provokes such a reaction, or something worse? AND , how to deal with this? It’s a pity to look at your pet when something is clearly wrong with him. Of course, the best option is to take the cat to a specialist, a veterinarian. But bad luck, not all cities have them - for example, in small towns they are not present and you have to deal with the problems that arise on your own. And in big cities they can charge a decent amount for treating a pet, which is also not affordable for everyone.
It's time to look at the most common options and figure out why this happens.
The first thing that comes to the mind of any housewife is fleas. But how to deal with them so that they really disappear and stop causing discomfort to your pet? First of all, you should buy a collar because flea medicine You cannot wash wounds - the procedure is terribly painful, and pustules may develop - and these are additional problems that can be avoided. In addition, you should give her a valerian tablet. In the case of very small kittens, replace it with a fifth Diazolin tablets.
How to determine what a cat has fleas? If it is light, there will be no problems, just pick it up and look carefully at the skin, bending the fur - fleas will be visible to the naked eye. It’s more difficult with dark colors - you’ll have to watch how often and how diligently the cat itches.
Nothing helps, what to do and what to do?
If nothing really helps, and the wounds not only do not heal, but also begin to rot, you need to pay attention to Terramycin spray or Amidel-gel ointment. The products cope very well with the tasks assigned to them, but the effect is usually temporary - therefore, during this time you will need to establish the true cause of the problem, otherwise you will have to constantly use an ointment or spray.
If there are still no positive changes, you should think about other causes of the problem. It is possible that these are neither fleas, nor ticks, nor even skin diseases, but a reaction to food - try changing it or temporarily switching your pet to homemade food, see if it stops cat scratching its neck.
There are cases when even veterinarians did not know what to think. However, after a couple of months the disease went away on its own and nothing like that happened again. In any case, first of all, you should get rid of fleas, ticks and skin diseases. Now you know, what to do if your cat scratches its neck until it bleeds– as they say, forewarned is forearmed!
Any cat health problem turns into a real tragedy for their owners. Therefore, many owners of these animals very carefully monitor the behavior of their pets in order to promptly identify an anomaly and immediately take measures to eliminate it. There are often situations when owners notice how a cat intensively scratches its neck, constantly and vigorously, until wounds appear there. The first thing to do here is to find the root cause of the problem. Next, you should immediately take measures to eliminate it.
A cat scratches its neck until sores appear there - what to do in such a situation
Let's look at this problem in more detail, especially since this phenomenon occurs, unfortunately, quite often. There may be several possible reasons why the animal began to scratch itself much more often than before. These are, in particular:
If you notice that your cat has begun to itch much more actively than before, and because of this, wounds have appeared on the animal’s neck, you should immediately contact a veterinarian. He will help you determine the original source of the problem, and, accordingly, tell you how to get rid of it correctly.
Of course, you can try to do all this yourself, but it’s still better not to risk the health of your pet.
However, the situation can be more complicated. If no fleas are found during a visual inspection, then perhaps you should look a little deeper for the source of the problem. We are talking about subcutaneous mites. This is a very unpleasant phenomenon. The thing is that the reaction of the cat’s body to their vital activity is various skin diseases. In any case, you cannot do without consulting a veterinarian. Treatment can begin after studying the scraping results. As a rule, four-legged patients in such cases are prescribed the drug Ivermec - orally (a special dosage regimen will be developed for the animal) or in the form of injections. One point should be noted. There are other possible treatment options, such as Frontline or Stronghold drops.
If for some reason the visit to the veterinarian is delayed (situations vary), you can try to deal with the problem of your cat’s excessive scratching on your own. One of the options here is the already mentioned drug Ivermec. It is also available in gel form. It is not advisable to give pills or give injections without a doctor’s prescription. But gel is the best option if you have not found fleas, and your pet scratches the skin until it gets wounded. Just do not apply the drug to damaged areas, as this will only intensify the irritation. Another possible option is Amidel or Terramycin sprays. They can not only relieve inflammation, but also dry existing wounds. However, all these remedies are nothing more than temporary measures since the root cause of the problem has not been found. Accordingly, you cannot eliminate it - you only relieve the symptoms.
When examining a constantly itchy cat, pay special attention to sores in the neck area. If you see a scattering of small wounds that resemble pimples, then your pet may well have miliary dermatitis. It should be noted right away that this is not a disease, but a symptom, while many reasons can provoke its appearance. This cannot be done without consulting a competent specialist. Some veterinarians begin to fight only with miliary dermatitis itself, without searching for the root cause.
An allergic reaction can provoke this symptom. This means that the search for the cause must be continued further. Indeed, in this case, the allergen should be determined. Until it is installed, you should not count on effective treatment for your pet. Allergies can be caused, for example, by certain foods. In this case, the mentioned pimples will be concentrated in the neck area. Medicines or new vitamins can also become an allergen. Try to remember exactly when you noticed that the cat began to scratch itself vigorously. In addition, pollen from household plants, household chemicals, mold, and so on can cause an allergic reaction in your pet.
In any case, the process of searching for an allergen must be brought to its logical conclusion. The animal will also have to undergo a course of treatment, including antihistamines. By the way, taking them will tell you whether the problem is really an allergy. Everything is simple here: if the situation has improved, it means the diagnosis was made correctly. All that remains is to find what provokes such a reaction.
If there is a food allergy, changes are made to the animal's diet. There are two paths here - long and short. The first is the gradual elimination of a particular product. As soon as the problem disappears, the source has been found. The second way is faster, but it is not as accurate. You just need to completely replace your entire diet. The cat should be given foods that it has not eaten before. The algorithm here is the same - if the problem disappears, then you are on the right track. But the source of the allergy cannot be identified here. To find out the exact root cause, one product at a time from the usual diet is gradually added to the food. As soon as the cat begins to itch again, that’s it, the allergen has been identified.
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize again - if your cat begins to itch excessively, even to the point of sores appearing on the neck, be sure to consult a veterinarian. In addition to a visual examination, a scraping will also be taken from the animal and all necessary tests will be performed. Self-medication is a very undesirable measure. This option is allowed only as a temporary one. After all, until you find the root cause, you will not be able to completely get rid of the problem.
First of all, you need to understand that an animal, like a person, can and does get sick. And as is the case with people, triggering even the initial symptoms of a pet’s unhealthy condition is fraught with complications at best. In the worst and saddest case, the owner may lose his beloved pet forever.
It’s not uncommon for a cat to start scratching its scalp excessively. Yes, with such zeal and zeal that blood appears and wounds form. With all this, the wool also flies in shreds.
Don't panic in this case. But you definitely need to contact a specialist, that is, a veterinarian. The main thing is not to let the animal’s atypical behavior and painful condition take its course and hope that in cats everything will heal on its own. After all, not only does the acquired illness cause discomfort and pain to the animal, but open bleeding wounds are more likely to get infected. In this case, it will be much more difficult to help the animal.
The most common reasons for cats scratching their scalp excessively include:
- Cat fleas.
- Manifestation of allergies.
- Scabies mite (various types).
- Ear mite.
Cat fleas
Fleas on a cat are perhaps the most common problem in an animal. Even if the cat is domestic and has never been outside or had contact with other animals, this does not guarantee that it has not picked up fleas. After all, even the owner can bring them in from the street, along with shoes or on clothes.
And as soon as abnormal combing of the animal has been noticed, the first thing to do is to examine the cat for the presence of fleas. This procedure is not difficult to carry out. Use two hands to separate the pet's fur on a certain area of the skin. In the parting of the fur, as a rule, you can notice the uninvited “tenants” of the animal. And in advanced cases, fleas can be seen with the naked eye.
This cat disease is perhaps the easiest to treat. In veterinary pharmacies and pet stores, there are sufficient quantities of products to help get rid of fleas. These include drops, sprays, and all kinds of ointments. Also, to consolidate the procedures for getting rid of fleas, you can use repellent collars that are impregnated with special liquids that repel insects.
Here, the pet owner can make the choice himself, based on his budget and the degree of neglect of the disease.
Manifestation of allergies
It also happens that due to excessive scratching of the scalp, an animal develops an allergy. Also, the animal may or may not experience other accompanying symptoms: redness of the skin, peeling, it happens that during and after eating, the cat experiences lacrimation. At this point you should contact a veterinarian.
But, if a pet eats food, then the simplest way to check whether the animal is allergic to this particular food is replace power. If the cat continues to itch even after changing its diet, then you should consult a specialist.
In general, allergies are a complex disease. You need to be prepared for the fact that there are a large number of allergens. And you will have to take more than one test. And allergies can’t be cured with just the snap of a finger; it will take time.
Scabies mite
Again, you need to contact your veterinarian. It is necessary to scrape the wounded skin of the animal. Sometimes an analysis is also taken. And it also happens that a not very qualified veterinarian, after a routine examination of the animal, diagnoses “scabies mite.” This approach is not correct. After all, scabies mites can be confused with other similar diseases.
If the doctor did everything correctly and the animal was given this particular diagnosis, then the attending physician will prescribe treatment. In this case, both injections and tablets, and even special drops are used (both for internal and external use). Often, an animal picks up a scabies mite due to a weakened immune system. In this case, the veterinarian may prescribe an immunostimulating drug.
Ear mite
If you notice that your pet is diligently scratching its ears and behind the ears, then you need to take a closer look at its auricles. In the case of ear mites, its presence is easy to recognize.
When the owner monitors the cat’s hygiene, the ears also participate in hygiene procedures. But, if the owner knows that the ears were recently cleaned, and within a couple of days a lot of brown discharge was found in the ears, and also itching, then there is a very high probability that the cat has become infected with this disease. Of course, it is best to visit a veterinarian. First, the doctor will prescribe a drug that is suitable for a particular pet. Secondly, he will show and tell you how to carry out the procedure for washing your ears in case of infection with ear mites.
In any case, during the treatment of any disease that is accompanied by severe itching, and, consequently, scratching of the animal, measures must be taken that will help reduce the scratching of the skin.
You can use special collars that will not allow the animal to reach its head with its paws. But very often, such collars also add stress to an existing illness. Naturally, if the cat responded to the collar with stress, then there is no need to torture it.
Alternatively, you can use something like socks for your paws. Then the pet will scratch itself, but will not get wounds. Another way to temporarily stop vigorous scratching is to loosely wrap each paw tightly in a bandage. The main thing here is not to overdo it, so as not to disrupt the blood flow.
