Pet Ailments

[Bruder Cuzzen]

HELP !

Me poor ole Fritz ( the cat ) has some sort of skin infection on his belly , I've scanned the net for help but have yet to identify it ( does not appear to be ringworm or mites , but  my eyesight isn't so good so maybe I'm wrong ).

It is a nightmare trying to get him to the vet , I've tried some over the counter fungus creams on him , but I don't know if they did any good ( since they must be applied twice a day for 2 weeks ( for humans ) and I haven't been that diligent with the applications , also maybe this is not such a great idea since he licks himself down there ).

A friend suggested tea tree oil .

Before I try to douse him with it , does anyone have any info to share ?
It would be much appreciated since I'm getting quite concerned over me best bud .

Thanks .

[Darlica]

Tea tree oil might work, just remember to dilute it properly it's far to strong to use undiluted.
I always use it on tic bites both on me and the dog

I however think you should go through the hassle and get the cat to the vet so you get a proper diagnose. You wouldn't forgive yourself if it was something serious and you didn't had it look at.

to you and Fritz!

[Opsa]

I would be very reluctant to treat a cat with human remedies. I agree, he needs to see a vet.

Did you check out this site: Cat Skin Problems

Could be mange or an allergy. Poor Fritz. Poo' old Boo.

[beagle]

I would be very reluctant to treat a cat with human remedies. I agree, he needs to see a vet.

Yep, that's how I understand it too. Dogs and cats have different metabolisms from humans in many respects. Cats often have trouble with Pyrethrins in insecticides for example. Also if it comes to using topical steroids/antifungal agents you'll need an expert to get the strength right for the skin thickness and won't want the cat to be able to ingest it.  Using the wrong strength of steroid on skin can permanently thin it, and ingestion can eventually give the sort of health issues bodybuilder steroid abusers get.

Also you may need a cone around the cat's head to stop it worrying the area (that's what they do for dogs anyway, and don't they just love it. Not).

[Darlica]

What Opsa and Beagle said about animals and human remedies.

However I think Tea Tree would be safe. There are products like shampoos and insect repellents containing Tea Tree specially designed for animals. But as I said dilute if you want to try it.

There are usually recommended ratios mentioned on the bottle, if it says noting about cats and dogs think of them as toddlers and then dilute some more if you are going to use it on a larger area, that's the advice we got from our dog's breeder.

[Bruder Cuzzen]

Thank you all ,

I decided that a professional is/was the best option yesterday .
One of Fritzie's vet's is willing to make a house call , it will be a bit pricey , but I've yet to pinch pennies or dollars as far as Fritz is concerned .

The problem has always been timing and getting him to co-operate .

All shall be well . Thanks again !

[Bruder Cuzzen]

He caterwauled all the way to the vet ( about 90 secs from the house ) . They think he may be allergic to something so the isolation begins . First we are trying a diet change , I cleaned out his litter box with detergent and bleach and brought back unscented clumping clay .

He has to stay indoors for at least two more weeks for his belly to heal , he was licking so much that his anal glands had swollen ( the vet cleaned him up and released the fluid ) .

I feel pretty bad for him , yet i'm laughing at him at times .
He gets caught up on everything with the cone around his head .
He has a hard time walking since he is always trying to peer past the edge of the cone , so he is more crouching as he moves and so the cone catches the carpet or crack in the floor and he is stopped in his tracks . He gets around this by walking backwards for a bit .
Much of his time is spent lying and sitting around looking very dejected and depressed .
Since he is indoors 24/7 , I'm having a hard time getting this paper work done .

[Opsa]

Aw, poor old Fritz. Is he a longhaired cat? (Aside from the underside, of course.)

[Bruder Cuzzen]

He is a short haired tabby , close to being considered a medium haired cat though .
He likes to groom himself or scratch an itch but can't .
When i see him scratching at his cone  . i reach  in and help him out .
He wasn't using his litter box so i dumped it on the cellar floor , he prefers the outdoor washroom but oh well, i hope the vet finds the cause for his licking .

[anthrobabe]

Oh poor Fritz. I had a female cat once who had allergies-- oh she'd just lick herself bald where she could reach- she looked horrible and i'm sure the neighbors thought I was the worst cat abuser ever.

Good luck with it- both of you.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

He is a short haired tabby , close to being considered a medium haired cat though .
He likes to groom himself or scratch an itch but can't .
When i see him scratching at his cone  . i reach  in and help him out .
He wasn't using his litter box so i dumped it on the cellar floor , he prefers the outdoor washroom but oh well, i hope the vet finds the cause for his licking .

Vets are pretty good at that sort of thing.

I'm sorry your cat is feeling puny; hope it's not something common, like allergy to grass or something (seeing as how you let him out to do his business).

[Darlica]

Poor old chap!

I don't know if cats are as sensitive but I know dogs can get really depressed if you laugh at them when they wear a cone or some other sort of bandage.



I guess better to be safe than sorry and try not to laugh...

[Opsa]

Oh yeah, cats can be very defensive about being laughed at. They'll not speak to you for days!

_{I'm serious!}

[Bruder Cuzzen]

Poor old chap!

I don't know if cats are as sensitive but I know dogs can get really depressed if you laugh at them when they wear a cone or some other sort of bandage.



I guess better to be safe than sorry and try not to laugh...

He looks depressed most of the time , I do notice a change in his expression when we laugh at him .

[Opsa]

Just give him a lot of extra love. I'm sure he feels like a freak show. Give him an extra ear-scratch from his Weird Old Pal Opsa.