Bald Patches On Neck/shoulder

[Arirang]

Hello, all-

My cat, Autumn (1 year old) has recently developed some bald patches on her neck and shoulders. She had a Furminator package done at PetSmart and I didn't notice them then, nor did the groomer.

She eats a high-quality, grain-free diet that is almost entirely free of chicken (just some wet food) and has never shown sensitivity. There are no fleas that I or the groomer saw, and I treat using Revolution. Again, never shown sensitivity.

She ordinarily wears a collar, but I mislaid it, or I wouldn't have ever seen the patches. It is properly sized and never seemed to bother her much.

I have a call in to my vet to get an appointment. Picture attached.

 

[Itsmandymo]

Does she go outside or is she exposed to any other animals that go outside? Is there a possibility of ringworm? She may have contracted it at the groomer. Just a thought.

Does she seem irritated by it at all? Is her behavior normal?

 

[Arirang]

She does not go outside, and there isn't much chance she got it at the groomer. Every pet is thoroughly inspected before beong admitted and everything is cleaned afterwards. None of my pets go outside- everything else lives in a tank.

The only other event that coincided with this was getting my tarantula, but they haven't had contact. We also worked through a box of Nulo chicken pouches, so maybe it's a chicken allergy?

Her behavior is as normal as a cat's ever is, and she doesn't seem to notice even when I touch there.

 

[silkenpaw]

Do you use a spot-on flea medicine on her? Some do cause hair loss at the application site.

Good luck with Autumn. Please keep us updated on what the vet says.

 

[Arirang]

I use Revolution topical and she has never shown a reaction.

 

[Daisy6]

She is a beautiful cat.

Have you noticed Autumn licking herself more in the left shoulder area recently?

 

[Arirang]

Thank you.

No, no more than her usual grooming. In fact, if anything, I've noticed extra attention paid to a back leg, but not an unseemly amount. Maybe I just happen to look more when she's doing it.

 

[Arirang]

It seems to have spread and developed what looks like a rust colored rash.

 

[Arirang]

Here is a picture. In better lighting, it looks more like a scab. My first thought is, maybe it is ringworm?

 

[Arirang]

I called off the vet appointment, as I think it was a reaction to some chicken based wet food. She is regrowing the hair in any event.

Thanks, all!

 

[silkenpaw]

Glad she’s regrowing the hair! Can you post a photo when it’s all grown back?

 

[cat1967]

One of my cats had similar patches. It was some kind of mycetes which was treated with an anti-fungal ointment. I treated one patch after a few days there was another. It must have taken about a month to not see any patches and after that there was hair regrowth. Then my other cat had the same but was treated with another ointment of similar ingredients and was well within two weeks. At that time, when my second cat had that I had pink itchy spots on my body (two or three) I used the same ointment with my cat (it was Pevaryl I think) and within a week I was ok too.

To be honest many times I see cats with bald patches on their bodies. Some of the outdoor cats who don't allow me to touch them but just feed them have them from time to time but they seem ok after a while.

My Persian cat come to think of it, now 12, when he was two months old had such mycitiasis that went bald almost all over his body. The vet gave me some medicine and ointments but it took months and months to be fine. Nothing since then though.

I hope that he will be fine with the application of an ointment soon.

Do let us know.