Some Common Cat Skin Problems

Our pet cats are very much prone to having skin diseases. This is why cat skin problems are a huge source of worry for humans who have pet cats. Skin allergies, irritating fleas, acne, or worms usually cause the problems. When any of these start to cause some discomfort, the cats will have the tendency to itch really badly and they will scratch excessively.

Fleas are a major cause of skin problems in most cats. This can affect all kinds of cats regardless of their age. Other causes point to allergies from various substances. These substances can be from plants with oily leaves, fresheners for carpets, dust, cleansers, or some topical medications. Symptoms of skin allergies include change of color, some skin eruptions on the chin or ears.

Food allergies also contribute to skin problems. Cats with food allergy would feel really itchy so it is easy to sense their discomfort. This could be due to a lot of processed food that we feed them. The proteins and artificial colorings in the food we serve to them may be converted into harmful substances during the digestive process.

Ringworm, the fungus that thrives on the keratin of a cat's hair, in its nails, and on its skin is also a culprit of cat skin problems. Microsporum canis, which is the most common of all ringworms, causes hair loss in cats. It can be transferred to humans so you better have your cat treated immediately.

Feline acne appears as blackheads on the face of the cat. Acne can build up on the chin or the lower lip. This happens when the sebaceous glands on the face of the cat are enlarged - the same reason for human's acne. You can easily detect this on your cat. Just observe if it is constantly rubbing its face with its paw or on the ground. Rubbing will cause the oily secretion that causes the feline acne. Cat skin problems could be readily treated so just consult your cat's vet at once.