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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Fur loss and scabs at base of tail..

34 replies

VelcroFanjo · 26/02/2012 23:23

As above.. Any advice from those in the know? We have taken in 2 cats today from a lady who can no longer keep them. They are 7 months old, one is fine the other has this problem with the skin at the base of the tail. Please tell me it's not going to cost the earth to get it solved!

OP posts:
LineRunner · 26/02/2012 23:24

Do you mean on the lower back of the cat, rather than below the tail near the arse?

Original poster
VelcroFanjo · 26/02/2012 23:25

Not below the arse.. lower back.

OP posts:
Selks · 26/02/2012 23:26

Sounds like flea allergy, but I could be wrong.

Original poster
VelcroFanjo · 26/02/2012 23:29

Thats what I was thinking selks. She said it was a very new problem but we don't really know her so have no idea if she told us the truth.

OP posts:
Mmmcoffee · 26/02/2012 23:32

Yes, definitely sounds like skin irritation from fleas. One of our cats has a flea allergy and if he gets bitten he goes mad biting the area round his tail, it ends up scabby and bare.

LineRunner · 26/02/2012 23:34

It does sound like a flea allergy. Try a regular flea treatment. In the meantime you need to break the cycle of her worrying at herself, and sometimes a cone-collar on for just an hour can help.

Also Feliway to calm her down.

Original poster
VelcroFanjo · 26/02/2012 23:37

Thanks for the replys.. I have looked it up and thought that may be the problem but was worried there may be a more worrying cause....
Okay then... is advantage better than frontline as I heard that some fleas are now resistant to frontline. I don't know if they have been treated. How long should I leave it to treat them in case they were treate, don't want to overdose them!

OP posts:
Original poster
VelcroFanjo · 26/02/2012 23:38

Whats Felliway linerunner I'm so new to all this Blush

OP posts:
LineRunner · 26/02/2012 23:41

It's the pheromone spray you can buy from pet shops that has a kind of 'chill out' effect. Very useful if your cat is worrying itself, or has a UTI and doing a bit of mental weeing. Instructions in box.

Cats do need a lot of affection, and a feeling of security. Then they can be all aloof and independent!

MyCatHasStaff · 26/02/2012 23:42

One of mine is allergic to loads of things, and these scabby lumpy symptoms are what we now expect. If that is what it is with your cat (please get it checked, could be anything), we use Frontline religiously, and now use Dermascent to help the symptoms. The vet has given us some oral medication too, but we're waiting to see how she goes, because she sometimes reacts to the ingredients in medication.
It's not wildy expensive, but it is covered by insurance (take out the insurance before you go to the vet), as long as they treat it as an ongoing condition so when you pass the excess amount the insurance picks it up.

Original poster
VelcroFanjo · 26/02/2012 23:48

Thanks for the advice! Now we have managed to get him out of the chimney, where he hid within 2 minutes of getting here, I may be able to get a better look at him. I have awful memories of my kitten, when I was a child, that ended up being PTS after a sore on its back failed to heal despite 6 months of treatment..they didn't even know what had caused it (thought rat or gull bite or so the vet said!). Will look into the insurance..God its so much more complicated than just looking after a cat!!

OP posts:
MyCatHasStaff · 26/02/2012 23:59

Pet Plan is the only insurance (as far as I'm aware) that will guarantee to renew your policy with an existing condition. You can get really caught out if the insurance pays out for something like this (my cat, I mean), then won't renew the policy, and a new company treat it as pre-existing so it's not covered. That's also why you should take out insurance before you go to the vet, as soon as you have a diagnosis, it's pre-existing. If yours has the same as mine, there's no cure, just ways of treating the symptoms. Hope your cat is ok, they are worth all the bother Smile

Original poster
VelcroFanjo · 27/02/2012 00:06

Thanks MyCat. Having cats is new to us, we live in an old house with a big garden full of shit and outbuildings. I wanted to deter vermin..

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MyCatHasStaff · 27/02/2012 00:11

I'm sure they'll be fine - they'll love a big garden, especially if it's furnished with vermin toys and hiding places Grin Well done for taking them in, too many cats are abandoned.

maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 27/02/2012 00:12

One of my rescued cats (had her 4 years, she is 16 years old, bless), suddenly started losing her hair in exactly the same place. When she went to the vet's for her annual vaccinations, he diagosed flea allergy Blush and the hair has now grown back after 7 weeks. He used the Program injection, lasts 6 months, because although small, this madam fights like fuck does not take kindly to being manhandled gripped with shaking hands of steel resulting in blood loss, (mine Sad), and later on I found a claw Shock embedded in my forearm, bloody princess!

maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 27/02/2012 00:16

diagnosed even, doh!

Original poster
VelcroFanjo · 27/02/2012 00:20

Thanks MyCat I would say kill 2 birds with one stone..hoping to kill mice and rats with 2 kitties!!
Maybe Shock..thats the one thing I don't like about cats..CLAWS!
EEeek..need to buy kneedproof trousers Grin

OP posts:
MyCatHasStaff · 27/02/2012 00:25

Velcro you do realise they'll be bringing them in as presents... Grin maybe my little madam is just like that! It takes three of us (me, the vet and a nurse) to get a tablet into her, on a good day only one or two of us end up bleeding!

maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 27/02/2012 00:30

Well, to balance the view, the other rescue, a year younger, ( just a nipper Smile) is the exact opposite. You could remove his teeth with pliers and he would let you, not, I hasten to add, that I ever considered it Shock, but he really is laid back, totally horizontal. But aren't they just the best things ever, love them both totally Smile.

maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 27/02/2012 00:37

Mycat I tried to get her to the vet's for the annual check up but ended up scratched to buggery, so got my sister round the next day and we trapped her in a bedroom and 'rounded her off at the pass' so I could grab her and throw gently place her into the cat carrier. But when I get her on the vet's table, she is this dream baby and cuddles up to me and 'permits' me to lift her up and everything Hmm which she NEVER allows me to do in RL. Grrrr, her name is Tillie Minx !

MyCatHasStaff · 27/02/2012 00:43

Haha, I know exactly what you mean - my vet told me that to reverse her into the carrier because it's easier than trying to get her in cartoon stylee while she hangs onto the outsides whilst biting me! Of course, when we get there, I'm her only best friend. I also have another one who is totally laid back, purrs all the time, total opposite. He had a bad accident a few years ago (hence I know my vet so well) and even with all the weird experiments complicated operations he had to have, he still purred all the time and was lovely. Bless, I wouldn't be without them Grin

MyCatHasStaff · 27/02/2012 00:45

Sorry about the hijack, Velcro. Very soon, you too will be cat-obsessed Grin

Original poster
VelcroFanjo · 27/02/2012 00:46

MyCat we had cats when I was little..my "cat memory" is when we had half a rabbit at the front door and the other half (with entrails) at the back door! We are in a big house with a railway not too far from the back door and a farm opposite. IMO cats will be the best thing the house has ever had! As long as the "gifts" are dead I can deal with it..live "gifts" are another matter..

OP posts:
Original poster
VelcroFanjo · 27/02/2012 00:49

No worries MyCat I can see more questions about catcare coming...I may need you! Grin

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maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 27/02/2012 00:58

Velcro welcome to the world of cats, we are here to serve them, little horrors!