Why does a cat itch if there are no fleas

Sometimes a cat itches to sores on its neck, but there are no fleas - the appearance of itching in a pet can be caused by various diseases. The best way out is to visit a veterinary clinic where a cat will receive professional help. Indeed, as a result of intensive licking and combing, the surface of the skin is injured and pathogenic microorganisms can enter the animal’s body through these “gates”, causing secondary infection.

Possible causes of itching

A cat is very itchy if it is harassed by fleas. Even when they are not visible, and the owner is completely sure that all insects are bred, it should be remembered that the reaction to flea bites lasts up to 1-1.5 months. Be sure to carefully check your pet for the presence of fleas.

The causes of severe itching in a pet can be:

• helminthiases;
• lichen;
• fungal and bacterial skin infections;
• endocrine diseases;
• hormonal imbalance;
• stress;
• blood-sucking insects and carnivores;
• allergic reaction to food, care products, cosmetics.

Interesting!

The brain structure of a cat is much closer to the human than that of a dog. In a cat, the same parts of the brain are responsible for emotions as a human, therefore, stresses cause the same causes in it - humiliation, psychological pressure, undeserved punishments. And stress manifests itself very similarly, including skin reactions.

Consider the reasons why a cat itches if there are no fleas and treatment methods.

Helminth itch

Helminths not only have a pathological effect on the digestion of a cat. Worms lead to the loss of essential nutrients by absorbing micronutrients from the intestines. As a result of a lack of nutrition, the pet's skin becomes dry, dandruff appears, and the cat licks itself much more often and more intensively, trying to get rid of itching.

Intoxication of the animal organism with waste products and toxins produced by worms provokes an allergic reaction, skin rashes, and itching. Even a tiny kitten can suffer from helminthiasis, becoming infected with parasites from an adult cat. Therefore, if a kitten itches, it is necessary to check its feces for the presence of worm eggs. The area around the anus can also itch, when helminths creep out to lay eggs. The cat then behaves characteristically - “rides” booty on the carpets, relieving itching.

Interesting!

In the body of cats, 3 types of helminths are parasitic:

• roundworms;
• tape helminths;
• flukes.

Some species are transmitted through flea bites to man. The presence of worms in kittens leads to stunted growth and development, and in pregnant cats, helminthic invasion can provoke a miscarriage. In the presence of individual individuals in the body, the disease can be asymptomatic. Fleas transmit helminthiasis to other pets as well, so you need to treat all the inhabitants of the house.

If the worms cause itching, then it is necessary to deworm the animal. For this purpose, according to the appointment of a veterinarian, the animal is given Prazitel, Pirantel, Troncil K, Canikvantel, Profender, Polyvercan (sugar cubes), Panakur, Febtal, Dirofen, Milbemaks, Drontal.But you should first pass an examination and establish the type of parasite, since broad-spectrum drugs are much more toxic than those that act selectively.

Lichen and other types of skin mycoses

The reason the cat itches, but there are no fleas, can be various fungal skin lesions. Dermatomycoses are frequent and diverse pathologies in cats. They are caused by mold, yeast. In weakened animals and kittens, progressive mycosis can lead to death.

Dermatomycosis in cats is a poorly studied group of diseases. The most famous is trichophytosis or ringworm:

• with the disease, areas with fallen hair are formed;
• the pathology is accompanied by the formation of profuse dandruff and severe itching, in which the cat combes the lesion before the appearance of sores;
• many types of mycosis are transmitted through the bites of blood-sucking insects.

A sick pet can infect its owner. Particularly dangerous are small children who, due to insufficiently formed immunity, do not have protection against fungi.

All types of cats are susceptible to the disease of skin fungal pathologies. But veterinarians point out that they are especially prone to fungal infections of Persia.

If scratches, foci of hair loss appear, especially clearly limited, you should consult a doctor, since only with the help of microscopy can you determine the type of pathogenic fungi and determine what to treat.

Therapy of mycoses involves the preparations of the griseofulvin group, vaccination and the use of external antifungal agents. Itching can be treated using symptomatic external agents. The cat itches, while there is an annoying factor - it will disappear and the pet will not itch.

Infectious skin diseases

Itching in an animal can cause an infection that has got into the thickness of the skin through scratches, small wounds, flea bites. Local inflammation causes the cat to itch violently, but bacterial infections are well treated. Veterinarians advise using externally sulfuric ointment or Juglon powder. These drugs equally well cope with dermatomycosis and bacterial infections. For systemic treatment, antibiotics may be required, but these drugs should be given to the pet only as directed by the doctor.

Interesting!

The Yuglon powder, dissolved in an oil base, was rubbed into the skin with ringworm behind the cat's ear. After a few days, the focus decreased, and after a week of use it disappeared completely. Juglon is a black walnut extract used in America to treat parasitic diseases. The drug has a bactericidal, calming, antifungal, antiprotozoal and immunomodulating effect. According to experts, the tool copes with skin problems in animals. We have recently begun treating dermatoses with the help of this medicine and it is difficult to find the drug on a wide sale.

Infectious skin lesions in cats are secondary and cannot be transmitted to humans. Most often, humans are a source of infection for cats.

Exogenous insect infestation

The cat can also scratch in the absence of fleas, besides them other arthropods can parasitize on the pet. External parasites cause various diseases in cats, the most dangerous of which are:

• damage to the ear by ear mites;
• sarcoptosis, which is localized in various parts of the body;
• notoedrosis, which is most often manifested by lesions of the muzzle.

Treatment for ticks, poohoedov, fleas involves the use of special tools - drops, sprays, shampoos. They help not only to remove fleas and other parasites, but also relieve itching.

Allergic reactions

Various factors can cause allergies in cats:

• feed;
• anti-flea collar;
• flea remedies;

  

• medicines;
• plant pollen, dust, etc.

Only a veterinarian is able to determine the allergen factor and prescribe treatment. Often precisely flea collars become the cause of contact dermatitis, causing hair loss, itching, combing of the neck. The owner needs to carefully monitor how the animal responds to changes in the diet or the use of new products to care for the hair and skin of the pet.

The cat can also scratch due to systemic pathologies. With endocrine diseases, the cat begins to scratch the neck, ears, back. The cat's spine is very flexible, so the pet begins to comb the hard-to-reach areas, which leads to sores. An untreated allergy in time can lead to Quincke's edema and the death of the animal.

The reasons why the cat begins to itch are many. When a cat scratches itself occasionally - this is the norm for cats, but when an animal scratches and licks a certain place before the formation of wounds and sores, you should immediately contact your veterinarian to avoid serious consequences for the pet's health.