Cat itchy--black roots to his fur in spots--flea comb clean of fleas.

[misterwhiskers]

Hi, I can't figure this out. Robin is on Frontline for fleas (I know. Stuff not that good.). Recently I've noticed him scratching--ears at first. More recently I've seen him scratch his shoulder, tonight, his paw. He's NEVER had skin issues like this before.

I have searched for fleas and found none. He does seem to have more dandruff than usual. White paper towel in water rubbed on his fur comes up clean.

I've noticed a few times recently, the flea comb pulls out fur that's black at the tip. Once in his shoulder, and going through his fur tonight, I thought I saw dark specks on his skin near his tail. I'm puzzled, and getting worried. He's an indoor cat, but the downstairs neighbor has a dog, and my area had 9 inches of rain in the past month, so I suppose fleas are possible. I'm also wondering if it could be something else. I haven't been bitten, or seen any. Could this be feline acne? My sister had noticed his overall fur is a bit greasy. Could it be mites, or mange? I haven't seen any loss of fur, but I have petted the dog at times then petted Robin. (no more!)

One more question: how soon after giving my cat Frontline can I dose with Revolution? He had his Frontline about a week ago.

 

[kat hamlin]

I would not dose Revolution until another three weeks, i.e. a month after the Frontline.  If you're concerned about fleas, give a dose of Capstar.

Greasy is usually not what you find with mites or mange, usually you see a sparse, brittle coat with hairloss.

Do you see him grooming usually?  I equate greasy feeling coats with insufficient grooming, which could also account for the itchiness.  Is Robin overweight?  The buildup of sebaceous oils in one place can be irritating to the skin.

Right now I would recommend brushing if Robin will allow.  It'll help spread out the oils and maybe give you insight into why he is scratching.  Also, check the ears for any sign of ear mites or infection.  Mites usually leave an ear that looks like coffee grounds in it, but a microscopic examination of the detritus is the only way to confirm.  Ear mites are more common in cats than ear infections, but it is possible that he has a yeast or other bacterial, or fungal, infection.

Ah, you mention a lot of rain.  Is it very humid in your residence?  It maybe could be fungal in nature in that case, although I am jumping to worst-case-scenarios. 

I don't think fleas are likely, if you don't find flea dirt--but don't just rub him with the paper towel, flea comb some hairs--especially the black ended ones--and wet them on a white towel.  That will give you a better chance of finding the dirt, which is usually close to the skin.

If the itching continues or spread, or any hair loss, I would look to a vet--might be worth a skin scraping.

 

[misterwhiskers]

Yes, he's overweight, and yes, he's not one of the better self groomers. He was a spoiled kitten in a semi feral cat colony. Literally had like 5-6 cat "aunts" who groomed him.

Well, I just tried the wet paper towel thing. I had put fur I brushed yesterday with the flea comb into a Baggie because I saw dark flecks. They stayed solid, so I'm perplexed. It doesn't help that when I looked at his tummy yesterday I saw nothing. No dark spots, no fleas. (Thank god, right?)

Can a cat just be itchy? He goes after the area between his toes especially. Not a lot. I might see him scratch once in 6 hours. When I flea comb the area immediately, I see nothing. I've looked between his toes at least once a day and never see anything (the vet told me to check there esp for fleas). He also seems to gnaw his nails. Only on rear feet since he's declawed. There is a family member being treated for a toenail fungus--can that be transmitted to a cat and affect skin too..?

I'm almost wondering if this could be allergies. His eye boogers are a bit more noticeable, as is his snoring. I'll take him to the vet if I have to, but I'd have to cancel my summer vacation if I do that. So I'm really hoping it's not fleas or something a vet has to look at. No fur loss.

He gets brushed almost every day, but I have to keep it short as he gets overstimulated quickly by any skin touch. I have a waterless shampoo, but wasn't sure if it would take the Frontline off?

 

[cjs88]

Yes, he's overweight, and yes, he's not one of the better self groomers. He was a spoiled kitten in a semi feral cat colony. Literally had like 5-6 cat "aunts" who groomed him.

Well, I just tried the wet paper towel thing. I had put fur I brushed yesterday with the flea comb into a Baggie because I saw dark flecks. They stayed solid, so I'm perplexed. It doesn't help that when I looked at his tummy yesterday I saw nothing. No dark spots, no fleas. (Thank god, right?)

Can a cat just be itchy? He goes after the area between his toes especially. Not a lot. I might see him scratch once in 6 hours. When I flea comb the area immediately, I see nothing. I've looked between his toes at least once a day and never see anything (the vet told me to check there esp for fleas). He also seems to gnaw his nails. Only on rear feet since he's declawed. There is a family member being treated for a toenail fungus--can that be transmitted to a cat and affect skin too..?

I'm almost wondering if this could be allergies. His eye boogers are a bit more noticeable, as is his snoring. I'll take him to the vet if I have to, but I'd have to cancel my summer vacation if I do that. So I'm really hoping it's not fleas or something a vet has to look at. No fur loss.

He gets brushed almost every day, but I have to keep it short as he gets overstimulated quickly by any skin touch. I have a waterless shampoo, but wasn't sure if it would take the Frontline off?

Hi, sorry for dragging up a post 5 years old, but my cat's having the same issues as your cat did. What was your solution, did you ever find a cure?

 

[FeebysOwner]

HI C cjs88 ! I don't think the OP of this thread has been on this site since sometime in early 2018, so I am not sure you will hear from them. Why don't you start your own thread about your issue? That might help you get better attention and more responses. I will look for it!!

 

[FeebysOwner]

C cjs88 - Looked for a thread from you, but didn't find one???