Scabby cat-oh-scabby cat

[kdaigrepont]

My cat is a beautiful Russian Blue girl about 16 years old. She is healthy and vibrant. Lately I have noticed her tail and hips have scabs. I figured it was an irritation from fleas so I gave her a flea bath. To my suprise there were no fleas in the water or on her comb when I brushed her. After the bath the scabs started to subside for a few days, but now are getting worse. A friend suggested putting olive oil in her wet food, which I did, and she LOVES it, but I have not noticed any difference. Would any kind of neosporin help or be dangerous for her?[/code]

[MJ]

Definitely don't use neosporin or any other over the counter medicines on her. There's no telling if it will hurt her.

I'm not so sure about putting oil in her food either.

I'd take her to the vet. It could be something as simple as a skin condition, that the vet can hopefully diagnose and give you something to help with it... Or it could be a symptom of a more serious physical problem, or a behavioral issue.

My cat had a similar problem, and it turned out to only be an allergy... But there's no telling what it is with your can until it's seen by a vet.

[mamabear]

MJ is right, every cat is different and you can have 100 different cats with 100 different reasons why their skin is the way it is.

The vet will be able to determine the problem and give you the Proper medicine or care instructions for your kitty. Please note in the house if there is anything that kitty can get under or might try to even squeeze under and hurt itself. Even if this is the case the wounds need to be looked at. It might be fungal/ringworm honestly it could be anything BUT in a 16 year old cat there is no such thing as just a scratch. Better to be safe then sorry and take her in.

No more Olive OIl until VEt says yes or no. She has given you 16 years of love and unconditional love, do your best to get her in asap and get this taken care of before it gets any worse. She is 16 so they might want to do blood work on her to make sure all is well for her age.

Please keep her indoors only
Here is a link;
http://www.cathelp-online.com/health/indooronly.php

[kdaigrepont]

Mosie is an inside cat. She is super well behaved - meaning she doesn't jump on tables or hide under things. Her behavior has not changed at all. Thanks for the advice. I will get her to the vet this afternoon.

[Traci]

1) Scabs mean there were initial open wounds, so what were they from? One of the other cats fighting with her? Was she ever biting or licking excessively or pulling at her fur? Cats will sometimes do this when something is wrong, either due to stress or a primary health condition, or as a pain response to something more serious, such as an internal health problem. It could be anything from a severe skin condition, to an environmental or food allergy, to hyperthyroidism or any other primary health condition.

2) do NOT put olive oil in her food, and stop listening to the friend for your cat's care.

3) do NOT bathe a cat in flea shampoo or any other flea products ever, and especially when there is obviously no evidence of fleas. Do NOT use any over-the-counter flea products on your cats, ever, they are toxic and lethal to cats. Only products recommended and sold by your vet are safe, effective and carry a gaurantee. See Just Say No! for why you should never use OTC products on cats.

4) all cats over the age of 7 need yearly or twice yearly bloodwork, including thyroid function testing and urinalysis to detect disease early on and as preventative measures. If your kitty has been losing weight, for example, she could have hyperthyroidism, which left untreated can be detrimental. Other health conditions are a concern as well, and only detectable with bloodwork, etc. Get a full blood panel done for her TODAY.

[kdaigrepont]

Took Mo Mo to the vet today for a full workup. All initial signs are great. No heart worm, clear ears and eyes as well as great teeth. Doc is concerned that she does have hyperthyroid which he said could be symptomatic to the dry skin. All other test results should be by Monday.

[Traci]

Assuming he actually tested for hyperthyroidism? Is that the testing you're waiting on? And why Monday, a T3 or T4 should only take a day or two.

[kdaigrepont]

Yes, hyperthyroidism is one of the several blood test that he is running. He said we would know by Monday at the latest.