What causes a bald bottom?

[Moyerette]

My next door neighbours cat (six dinner Sid) visits frequently and I've noticed he has a bald bottom - and not for the first time. Is this the cause of fleas?

There's no point me talking to neighbour because she gets all het-up if you even broach anything to suggest she needs advice and help with caring for cats. I've taken it upon myself to de-flea him myself before now as he's a frequent visitor around my own two. I'm just worried about him constantly having a bald bum.

I know also it's none of my business but I really feel sorry for him.

I don't think flea allergy generally causes baldness specifically round the bottom. The only thing I can think of is worms causing him to have an itchy bum and to rub it on things to relieve the itching. Just a wild guess though.

Still it wouldn't hurt to give him a worming tablet.

Thanks for the reply thecatneuterer. I know he's not my responsibility but I feel sorry for him. I'm sure I could entice him with a bit of chicken with a tablet hidden in it.

I would use Milbemax. It's effective and tasteless.

Does your neighbour have a lot of cats? Do you feel they are neglected?

Is it around the anus or at the end of the back, near the start of the tail? Baldness on the back can be caused by fleas. Or it could be some sort of allergy.

Be careful about treating your neighbour's cat. If she is treating him, you could end up doubling up on treatments. I don't know about worming tablets but it can be dangerous to mix flea treatments.

I really don't think she is treating him with anything Magnet I've seen them on him and ticks too.

Catneuterer She has about six cats. She is a lovely lady to talk to but won't accept any advice offered if it's to do with the cats. She loves them as she goes on and on about them. But I don't think she knows how to look after them. I know her female - a year old - has already had kittens as she offered me one.

Only today I asked if she'd had her spayed yet and she said no as she'd been ill. I don't think it'll be long before another litter is on the way as she is often out and mixing with the street cats. Plus she has males too which I'm not sure are neutered.

Oh dear. Did she mean because she'd been ill or the cat had been ill? If it was the woman then can you perhaps offer to take her cat for neutering yourself? I do that often with hopeless/feckless owners and usually they're happy for it as long as they don't have to go to any trouble or expense themselves.

If she refuses I would be tempted to threaten with RSPCA (not that they can actually do anything, but I doubt she knows that).

Or, if you see the cat out on the street, kidnap and get it done yourself (you can get vouchers from CPL or similar if you claim it's stray), then either put her back with the shaved patch and spay scar and deny all knowledge, or put her into hiding somewhere until the fur has grown back and then put her back (not that I've done this - oh no).

Poor neighbour!cats...

Sounds like a v tricky situation for you I think in some ways it's almost worse when people (unwittingly) mistreat animals they love because it's not as black&white as "you are an evil person who should never be allowed near an animal again".

I wonder if you could engineer a convo with her about things like ticks&flea/worming treatments by ostensibly asking her advice & laying it on thick about how seriously unwell untreated cats can become & some treatments aren't as effective as others so you worry about your cats etc. Am sure thecatneuterer would (sadly) be able to provide you with true stories to trot out to illustrate your tale.