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eibren

Potion for Itchy Cat?

eibren
18 years ago

I have read the posts re. Itchy Dog and Sleepless Child & Itchy Cat...There was not a lot for cats, which are much more sensitive than dogs to remedies (they can be harmed by essential oils, I read).

We are caring for a cat that is used to being outdoors; unfortunately, there is a cat leash law in our area and we cannot allow this. The cat is very frustrated, and keeps trying to get out. Partly in boredom, he chews the fur off of his stomach. The vet thinks he does have a food allergy, and the owner believes it is to corn. We are providing as corn-free a diet as we can afford, but we are caring for 3 cats and a dog at present, and he gets into the other animals' feed.

Lately, the cat has started scratching the area in front of his ears raw.

The cat's owner had previously applied a Sulfodene "Hot Spots" remedy for dogs to the cat, which had a deterrent effect; I tried just a bit one time and it was obvious that the cat hates it.

The cat does have some little round pinkish, raw raised spots here and there on his stomach. Fleas are doubtful; all our animals are regularly treated with an anti-flea "dot" on the back of their necks to ward those off.

I'm a bit nervous re. applying herbal products to a cat, as I am aware that they have a bad reaction to essential oils.

The cat seemed to appreciate being rubbed with some soda water.

I am wondering if I added some catnip tea and a bit of vinegar if that could be helpful. I was thinking of adding a bit of cod liver oil and Omega 3 oil as well.

Does anyone have a cat with a similar problem, and have they developed a potion to apply to the cat that helps, without the cat really hating it?

Comments (11)

  • lazy_gardens
    18 years ago

    Has the cat been tested for ringworm?

    Try bathing the cat with regular cat shampoo or human baby shampoo.

    And - can the cat get into any fiberglass insulaiton, maybe in a basement?

  • Heathen1
    18 years ago

    Also, we were told by the vet that it could be their food...... one of my cat's skin allergies was relieved by switching to IAMS... though I don't recommend it for everyone, but for his little skin, it was the thing.
    I'd take the poor guy to the vet, see what is causing it before trying remedies that may have nothing to do with his problem.

  • eibren
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    We don't have any fiberglass insulation in the house.

    Iams (the lamb and rice one)is what he already eats.

    The vet said it was allergies; it doesn't look like ringworm, just little pink spots about 1/8" wide; they don't grow into rings.

    What would a cat shampoo do? Can you recommend a good one?

    I am hoping a cat owner with the same problem will post a solution.

  • turningpoint
    18 years ago

    Does your cat have some greens to eat? Dandelion, or parsely? I don't have any answer to your questions-I'm just sympathetic and I know that in people skin issues are very connected to digestive issues sometimes and cats need greens when they are having digestive issues. They eat grass anyway, out doors, so maybe giving the cat some fresh greens would help a little bit. The book "Natural Cats" by Chris Madsen has some natural remedies for cats, but I looked and didn't see on for your issue. The book did recommend vit C for cats, and garlic to promote health. Not sure how you get a cat to take garlic, though. good luck

  • Heathen1
    18 years ago

    okay... I worked in a groomers and there are now a lot of expensive pet shampoos out there... We used one with oatmeal and aloe vera for allergies... you could go to either your local health food store or Pet Store and see what they have.

  • eibren
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    So far my potion would include vinegar, vitamin C, garlic, catnip tea, and cod liver oil thinned with soda water....and if that doesn't work, a trip to a pet groomer for a good shampoo....

    I am now making the cats corn dollies out of the inner corn husks, which I find they seem to like as well as grass greens (corn is a grass, right? so maybe corn husks are a year-round solution to their need for greens? I usually don't buy "fresh" corn in the winter, but I can make an exception for the cats!)

    Thanks for all your suggestions--I'm still hoping someone will come up with a miracle herb....is astralagus something that would be applicable in a situation like this?

    The plain soda water did seem to soothe him a bit. The spots in front of his ears are healing up.

  • shortarse_hedgewitch
    18 years ago

    could it be a human allergy?

    some paople have cat or dog allergies, and some dogs (and i think cats) have human allergies.

    maby as it is used to being away from humans for some time when outside the mild allery wasn't affecting it, but being in a human house continualy eans its playing up? we have 3 cats and my mums mildly alergic, she's fine unless one of them sleeps on her pillow (i.e. prolonged contact)

  • eibren
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Possibly. He is definitely trying to get out of the house. My spouse regularly washes all of the cats' bedding...could be an allergy to the dog, as well...What really annoys me, is that I made my garden partly for the benefit of our animals, but don't dare let them out to enjoy it. We live in too regulated an area. My spouse likes this; I would like to have a small herd of ducks, etc. No chance in this zoning....

  • shortarse_hedgewitch
    18 years ago

    is the bedding being washed in the washing machine/with cleaning products or just being rinsed.
    mabey your cat has an alergy to the detergent you're using for its bedding?

    a cat leashe law doesn't make sence to me, only a few breeds of cat take well to being put on a lead. and cats aren't like dogs, they need to be outside more.

    where do you live? i'm sorry but the whole z6PA means nothing to me.

    i don't know how it affects their skin but i know cats need greens in their diets, they are obligate carnivores and can't properly digest them but they still need them for some reason.

  • eibren
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Growing Zone 6, PA is abbrev. for Pennsylvania, USA, about 3 hrs' north of Washington, DC. It is a stupid regulation, but enough people were annoyed by cat actions to get it passed. Any little bedroom community full of suburban developments can pass any sort of stupid regulations it sees fit, and often does. One of the ramifications of a true democracy... One reason may be that feline leukemia is present in the stray cat population, and they are hoping to eradicate it. Fat chance.

    Another possible reason is the Animal Rights movement, which some members of appear to desire to make mankind's long, traditional associations with animals obsolete. The trend in the States is to raise dogs and cats as if they were overprotected children that should never be out alone. Admittedly, as our population increases, the ecological niche for other beasties in our population is being threatened. Some of the dog and cat breeds becoming popular in this country may also be a factor.

    We have all kinds of cats showing up in our yard; I planted catnip for my crew. I can't let my cats out because the fine is enormous; we already had a warning because a bird-loving neighbor who knew about the law (we didn't) called the police on a previous cat we had. It actually could not have been our cat, either, because he said it was in his yard at 10:00 pm, when we only let ours out from 4 to 6 pm, when he would then come back in for supper.

    We use unscented detergent, but, come to think of it, that cat rarely sleeps on their official bedding anyway.

  • taylor_orona
    17 years ago

    I have the same problem with my cat and I haven't found a solution either. We also use the drops on the back of the neck so I know it isn't fleas. He is a white cat and well it would be obvious with those wretched pepper looking poop sprinkles everywhere! No, this problem started about 2 months ago. He sleeps in our bed at night and he scratches and scratches most of the night it drives us crazy because he wakes us up scratching. I guess I'll try switching the food to IAMS as well. We don't know what else to do. There are no spots or sores or ringworm looking stuff or any hair loss. Just the irritating itching, poor guy mostly around his chin and neck and ears. And also NO to earmites as well. I'll keep checking here to see if anyone has found anything. Thanks

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