A cat scratches its neck until it hurts: reasons and what to do if it itches, but there are no fleas

Why does a cat scratch its neck?

There are many reasons that cause itching other than flea infestation. The problem may lie either in the activity of other parasites or in individual intolerance to certain substances.

Parasites

When the most obvious cause of neck scratching, namely fleas, has been ruled out, you should not immediately stop looking in this direction, because other types of parasites may also bother the animal. So, itching can be provoked by:

Subcutaneous mites that cause demodicosis - a disease that affects the skin and coat of a pet. In the localized form of the disease, the lesion occurs in a separate area of the body, for example, on the neck. In this case, the skin turns red, pustular rashes appear, the integument peels off, and the hair on the head, ears and neck falls out. The animal is primarily concerned about severe itching and the appearance of bleeding wounds, which are further scratched with claws. Cat subcutaneous mites of any kind are not infectious to humans. Two types of such parasites can live on a cat’s body: Demodex cati, which is conditionally pathogenic (it is part of the normal flora, but under favorable conditions it can multiply and cause disease),
gatoi, a scabies mite that belongs to a pathogenic species and can be transmitted from one individual to another.
The gatoi scabies mite causes severe itching in cats and can be transmitted to other pets, but not to humans.

Helminths. Parasites that have settled in the intestines of a pet actively absorb nutrients and disrupt the balance created in the body, which causes the skin to deteriorate, dryness and flaking appear, and the eyes often become sour. Discomfort forces the animal to constantly itch and lick itself in an effort to get rid of unpleasant sensations, which ends in the formation of sores and bleeding wounds on the body. Unlike subcutaneous ticks, worms in cats can also pose a danger to the owner. Thus, pinworms, Toxocara and alveococci are common to humans and furry pets. The owner is protected from infection by following the rules of personal hygiene when in contact with a cat, an acidic environment in the stomach and a strong immune system. At risk are children who, without adult supervision, often neglect to wash their hands and put everything in their mouth, as well as adults with reduced immunity - their body may simply not cope with the attack of parasites.

Dermatological diseases

Skin diseases can be caused by both changes within the body and pathogenic microorganisms:

Fungal dermatological diseases (dermatomycoses) are a common cause of problems in cats, caused by mold and yeast infections. The most common disease in this group is lichen, the causative agent of which is the fungus microsporum, epidermophyton or trichophyton. The disease affects the hair follicles and skin. Ringworm is contagious and can be easily transmitted from cat to person, so owners should be vigilant, especially if there are small children in the house. The disease manifests itself in symptoms: round redness appears on the body, which itches and bothers the animal;
peeling of the skin and hair loss are observed, which most often affects the area of the head, neck and limbs;
When a secondary infection occurs, scratching can transform into festering wounds.
Ringworm most often affects the head, neck and extremities, causing itching, flaking skin and hair loss.

Bacterial infection. Any violation of the integrity of the skin becomes an entry point for infections, so it happens that a small wound, scratch or even a flea bite becomes very inflamed, festers, causing the cat to itch. The more the animal injures the skin, the wider the infection spreads, new foci of itching and numerous wounds are formed. This cause of itching in a cat can be dangerous for humans, but only if the rules of personal hygiene are ignored and the skin is damaged.

Eczema is an inflammatory disease that develops due to increased sensitivity of the skin. Eczema is a non-contagious disease, so a cat with this diagnosis does not pose a danger either to the owner or to other pets. The disease can take the following forms:

traumatic - due to mechanical damage to the skin on the neck, burn or frostbite;

neuropathic - manifestation of damage to the nervous system, for example, with plague;

reflex - a reaction to parasite bites, skin contamination, unbalanced nutrition.

Allergic reaction

A nonspecific immune reaction to an irritant can occur in animals as often as in humans. Possible allergens that can cause itching in the neck area:

feed;
flea drops on the withers and an anti-flea collar;
medications;
shampoo and other hair care products.

An allergic reaction can be limited to local itching and redness, which causes the animal to itch a lot, or cause additional, more dangerous symptoms, including life-threatening swelling of the airways (Quincke's edema).

Video: a cat has an allergic reaction to a flea collar

Diagnostics

The veterinarian will examine the cat's head and neck, paying special attention to the scabs and the areas around them. Be sure to conduct a survey of the owner, during which they find out how long ago the first symptoms appeared, in what conditions the cat lives, what he eats and what he has been sick with recently.

Based on the clinical picture, the following diagnostic examinations are carried out:

examination of the skin under ultraviolet light;
biopsy of samples taken from scabs;
general blood tests;
bacteriological examination of smears or scrapings from scabs;
allergy tests using special test strips.

Until a diagnosis is established, it is advisable to isolate the animal or minimize contact with household members.

How to look for the cause of itching

Having noticed that a cat scratches its neck until it hurts, the owner should pay attention to the characteristic manifestations of the problem. It is additional symptoms that may indicate the cause of discomfort:

If, in addition to itching, your pet's hair falls out on the neck and ears, the skin flakes off and numerous crusts form, then most likely the reason lies in the activity of the subcutaneous mite. Demodicosis can be diagnosed at a veterinary clinic, where scrapings from the affected areas of the cat's skin will be taken for examination under a microscope. It is worth noting that if at least one gatoi mite is found in the samples, then the diagnosis is made immediately, but the conditionally pathogenic cati mite must be more than 2-3 pieces in one sample to make a diagnosis, because a small number of the representative lives on the skin of any cat and does not cause illness.
Abnormal bowel movements, deterioration of appetite, decreased coat quality, “rolling” on the butt on carpets, combined with itching and scratching on the neck and body as a whole are signs of a cat being infected with helminths.
Infection with worms causes significant discomfort in a cat, causing it not only to itch, but also to roll on its butt and constantly lick itself
A wound with signs of suppuration always indicates a bacterial infection, which can be either the sole cause of discomfort or secondary, occurring against the background of another disease.
Redness of the skin area, the appearance of blisters filled with liquid, which gradually either dry out or open, forming ulcers, scabs and ulcers - these are symptoms of eczema.
With dry eczema, fluid-filled papules dry out, and with weeping eczema, they burst, forming ulcers.
Hair loss, clearly defined red lesions on the skin, peeling are a typical picture for dermatomycosis. To make a clear diagnosis, a scraping will be required in the clinic - to prescribe treatment, the doctor needs to identify the specific causative agent of the disease.

If a cat has recently been put on a flea collar and it persistently itches around it, then most likely the animal is suffering from an allergic reaction - intolerance to some component in the preventive product has manifested itself. This is often observed after using flea drops - they are applied to the withers, and intolerance will cause a reaction in the neck area. Itching that appears after introducing something new into a cat's life, for example, another food, shampoo or medication, should also hint at an allergy.

An allergic reaction to a flea collar will be clearly localized on the animal’s neck

Can you help your pet yourself?

Mostly, redness and sores on a cat's neck are accompanied by peeling and crusting. For a few wounds, it is recommended to purchase medical sulfur from a pet store and add it to your pet’s food (on the tip of a knife) for 14 days. Fertilizing with sulfur is also carried out for preventive purposes in the spring and autumn.

If the transition to proper nutrition has been made, 10-14 days have passed, and there is no improvement, it is time to consult a veterinarian, because the allergy may be atopic in nature. Then the allergic reaction may be provoked by house dust mites, spring flowering or other environmental factors.

What to do if your cat scratches its neck until it hurts and bleeds

In any case, scratching the skin to the point of wounds should be a reason to take the cat to the veterinarian. Even if the cause is simple, the doctor will be better able to assess the animal’s condition and prescribe the most effective treatment. The range of therapeutic measures will depend entirely on the source of the itching.

Table: method of treatment depending on the type of disease

Type of disease	Treatment
Demodicosis	Long-term (from 6 to 12 months), including a set of measures: the use of special compounds to kill parasites: Amitraz; Stronghold. Local application of products to cleaned wounds and areas without hair: Demos ointments; oily solutions of Tsipam, Ektodes, Amit. cleaning and disinfection of wounds on the neck: chlorhexidine bigluconate; Miramistin. a course of antibiotic therapy in case of secondary infection (Sinulox).
Helminthiasis	Special anthelmintic drugs are used: Febtal; Panacur; Prazitel; Vacation.
Bacterial infection	systemic drugs: Amoxiclav; Sinulox. local ointments for local lesions: Levomekol; tetracycline ointment.
Eczema	local treatment of skin manifestations of the disease with antiseptics (Miramistin); the use of powders and ointments with a hormonal component for speedy healing (Triderma); prevention of the appearance of new spots using: nutritional correction; compliance with good living conditions; lack of stress.
Allergy	exclusion of the allergen; systemic and local antihistamine therapy: Fexofenadine; Cetirizine.
Dermatomycoses	Treatment takes on average 1–2 months: introduction of a special vaccine against fungus: Polivak-TM; Vakderm. a course of immunomodulators to increase the body's resistance; local treatment of affected skin areas with antifungal drugs: Fungin spray; Imaverol liquid.

Photo gallery: drugs for the treatment of itchy wounds on the neck of cats

Imaverol for cats - emulsion for external use, a broad-spectrum medicine for various types of fungal infections

Stronghold has a complex antiparasitic effect

Miramistin - an antiseptic for treating wounds

Triderm is a hormonal ointment that accelerates healing and relieves inflammation

Vakderm is a vaccine against fungal infections used for cats for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. Cetirizine suppresses allergic reactions.

It is worth understanding that itching and wounds due to scratching are only a manifestation and consequence of the disorder, so the problem will not disappear until its source is eliminated . Before going to the clinic, the owner should try to alleviate the animal’s condition. Bleeding wounds must be treated with an antiseptic (chlorhexidine, Miramistin, hydrogen peroxide), which will reduce the risk of secondary infection. You cannot carry out any activities with cosmetics - bathing with shampoo, applying creams, coat powders, etc.

If a cat develops lichen and the owner decides to give his pet a bath, this will only worsen the situation - the spots will “spread” all over the body very quickly.

It is also recommended to adjust the diet and exclude all those foods that are prohibited for animals (bread, bagels, sweets, sausages - products from the common table), since an unbalanced diet negatively affects the condition of the skin and can aggravate the course of diseases.

Video: sores on a cat’s neck - what to do

Treatment

Treatment depends on what caused the scabs on the neck and head. If it is an allergen, then it is urgent to stop its influence on the cat. It is often necessary to review the diet and eliminate unsuitable foods, replacing them with others. Sometimes you have to change your pet care products. In addition, antihistamines are used.

If the disease is caused by an infection, antibiotics are prescribed. In parallel with them, immunomodulators and multivitamin complexes are prescribed, which will help restore the animal’s immunity.

To combat parasites, external agents are most often used, which are applied to the withers area. At the same time, it is very important to ensure that your pet does not lick these drugs, since they are all highly toxic and can cause severe poisoning.

For any such disease, topical external preparations are prescribed, which are applied directly to the scabs. They help reduce itching in the affected area and speed up the healing of existing wounds. To care for your pet at the time of treatment, a ceratomic (powder) shampoo is used, which involves dry use so as not to spread the pathogen to healthy areas.

Disinfection of the cat’s habitat is of particular importance during therapy. You need to treat the place where she sleeps, and all the dishes from which the animal eats and drinks. If therapy begins to bring results, then the cause has been identified correctly. The duration of treatment is determined by the veterinarian; stopping it just because the scabs on the head and neck have disappeared is not worth it, as this can cause a relapse, which will be even more difficult to overcome.