A cat scratches its neck until it becomes sore: what bothers the pet and how to help it

An excessive scratching of the neck by a cat indicates a problem. This conduct may result in open sores, irritation, or inflammation of the skin.

The pet may be bothered by a number of things, such as allergies, parasites, or skin disorders. Finding the source is essential to improving the cat’s comfort and halting additional skin damage.

This post will discuss common causes of cats scratching their necks as well as actions you can take to relieve the discomfort. By figuring out the root of the issue, you can take appropriate action to keep your cat happy and healthy.

Why does a cat scratch its neck

Itching can be caused by a variety of factors besides flea infestation. Both personal intolerance to particular substances and the actions of other parasites may be the source of the issue.

Parasites

Even after ruling out fleas, which are the most obvious cause of the animal’s neck scratches, you shouldn’t give up looking for other parasites that may be bothering the animal. Thus, the following can cause itching:

• Subcutaneous mites that cause demodicosis – a disease that affects the skin and fur of a pet. With a localized form of the disease, the lesion occurs on a separate part of the body, for example, on the neck. In this case, the skin turns red, pustular rashes appear, the skin peels, and the hair on the head, ears and neck falls out. The animal is primarily bothered by severe itching and the appearance of bleeding wounds, which are scratched even more with claws. A cat subcutaneous mite of any kind is not contagious to humans.
  Two types of such parasites can live on the cat"s body:

• Demodex cati, which is conditionally pathogenic (it is part of the normal flora, but under favorable conditions can multiply and cause disease),
• gatoi, a scabies mite, belonging to a pathogenic species and capable of being transmitted from one individual to another.

Cats that have the scabies mite gatoi experience excruciating itching; it can spread to other pets but not to people.

Dermatological diseases

Both alterations in the body and pathogenic microbes can cause skin diseases:

• Fungal dermatological diseases (dermatomycosis) are a common cause of problems in cats, caused by mold and yeast fungal infections. The most common disease of this group is lichen, the causative agent of which is the fungus microsporum, epidermophyton or trichophyton. The disease affects the hair follicles and skin. Lingena is contagious and easily transmitted from cats to humans, so owners should be vigilant, especially if there are small children in the house. The disease manifests itself with symptoms:

• round redness appears on the body, which itches a lot and bothers the animal;
• peeling of the skin and hair loss are observed, which most often affects the head, neck and limbs;
• if a secondary infection occurs, scratches can transform into festering wounds.

Most frequently, ligna affects the head, neck, and limbs, resulting in skin peeling, itching, and hair loss.

• traumatic – due to mechanical damage to the skin on the neck, burns or frostbite;
• neuropathic – a manifestation of damage to the nervous system, for example, with plague;
• reflex – reaction to parasite bites, skin contamination, unbalanced diet.

Allergic reaction

Animals may react to an irritant with a non-specific immune response just like people do. Among the potential allergens that could itch in the neck area are:

• food;
• flea drops on the withers and an anti-flea collar;
• medicines;
• shampoo and other hair care products.

An allergic reaction can cause more serious symptoms, such as potentially fatal respiratory tract swelling (Quincke’s edema), or it can be restricted to localized itching and redness, which causes the animal to scratch itself a lot.

Video: allergic reaction in a cat to a flea collar

When a cat scratches its neck until it hurts, it probably has some kind of irritation or discomfort from fleas, allergies, or skin infections. Finding the source of the issue is essential to offering relief, and treatments may include treating the cat with medicated creams, eliminating parasites, or changing the cat’s diet. It’s critical to take immediate action to stop the problem from getting worse and causing the cat more discomfort or skin damage.

How to look for the cause of itching

The owner should take note of the typical symptoms of the issue once they have observed that the cat is scratching its neck until it is bleeding. The following extra symptoms may help identify the source of your discomfort:

• If, in addition to itching, your pet"s neck and ears are losing hair, the skin is peeling and numerous crusts are forming, then most likely the cause lies in the activity of a 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 there must be more than 2-3 opportunistic cati mites in one sample to make a diagnosis, because in small numbers the representative lives on the skin of any cat and does not cause disease.
• Stool disorders, loss of appetite, decreased coat quality, "rolling" on the bottom on carpets in combination with itching and scratching on the neck and body as a whole are signs of a cat"s infestation with helminths.

A cat with worms has extreme discomfort, which makes it roll on its bottom and lick itself all the time in addition to scratching.

The fluid-filled papules in wet eczema burst to form ulcers, while in dry eczema they dry out.

If a cat has been wearing a flea collar recently and is scratching around it constantly, it is probably experiencing an allergic reaction—an intolerance to one or more ingredients in the preventive agent’s composition has become apparent. This is frequently seen following the application of flea drops; the withers are treated, and intolerance will result in a reaction in the neck region. An allergy should also be suggested by itching that develops after a cat is given something new, such as food, shampoo, or medication.

An animal’s neck will clearly be the site of an allergic reaction to a flea collar.

What to do if a cat scratches its neck until it becomes sore and bleeds

Any reason to take the cat to the veterinarian should be given if it is scratching the skin until it becomes wounded. The veterinarian can more accurately evaluate the animal’s condition and recommend the best course of action, even if the cause is straightforward. The exact cause of the itching will determine the course of treatment.

Table: treatment method depending on the type of disease

• use of special compounds to destroy parasites:

• Amitraz;
• Stronghold.

• Demos ointment;
• oil solutions of Tsipam, Ektodes, Amita.

• chlorhexidine bigluconate;
• Miramistin.

• Febtal;
• Panacur;
• Prazitel;
• Kaniquantel.

• systemic drugs:

• Amoxiclav;
• Sinulox.

• Levomekol;
• tetracycline ointment.

• local treatment of skin manifestations of the disease with antiseptics (Miramistin);
• use of powders and ointments with a hormonal component for faster healing (Triderm);
• prevention of new spots with the help of:

• nutrition correction;
• maintaining good conditions;
• absence of stress.

• exclusion of allergen;
• systemic and local antihistamine therapy:

• Fexofenadine;
• Cetirizine.

• Introduction of a special vaccine against fungus:

• Polivak-TM;
• Vakderm.

• Fungin spray;
• Imaverol liquid.

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

Imaverol is a broad-spectrum medication for treating a variety of fungal infections in cats that is applied externally as an emulsion. Stronghold has a multifaceted antiparasitic action. A wound-care antiseptic is miramistin. Triderm is a hormonal ointment that reduces inflammation and promotes healing. A fungal infection vaccine called Vakderm is administered to cats both therapeutically and preventatively. Cetirizine inhibits hypersensitivity responses.

It is important to realize that scratching-related wounds and itching are merely symptoms of the disorder; as such, the issue won’t go away until the cause is removed. The owner ought to make an effort to improve the animal’s condition before taking it to the clinic. An antiseptic (chlorhexidine, miramistin, hydrogen peroxide) must be applied to bleeding wounds in order to lower the risk of secondary infection. Cosmetic procedures such as shampooing, applying creams, powders for wool, etc., cannot be performed.

If a cat has ringworm and its owner decides to give it a bath, this will only make the condition worse because the spots will spread rapidly throughout the body.

Additionally, it is advised to modify the diet and eliminate all items that are forbidden for animals (such as bread, bagels, sweets, and sausages—items from the common table). This is because an imbalanced diet can worsen the course of illnesses and have a detrimental effect on skin health.

Video: sores on the cat"s neck – what to do

When your cat is repeatedly scratching its neck, it’s crucial to take notice. This behavior may indicate the presence of parasites, a more serious medical condition, or just a simple skin irritation that needs to be addressed.

If you pay attention to your cat’s behavior and take him to the vet as soon as possible, you can stop the problem from getting worse. With prompt diagnosis and appropriate care, your pet can regain their comfort level.

Ensuring your cat’s overall health and providing relief will keep them content and pain-free. Maintaining the happiness and health of your pet only requires a little extra attention.

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