Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The litter tray

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

Original poster

My cat Harry has a bald patch

27 replies

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 15/01/2023 16:15

Does anyone have any idea what could cause this? He was diagnosed in September with atypical something or other lesions (a lot has happened since then and I can't remember!) and has often had little scabs, including one on his head. I noticed earlier in the week that the one on his head had flared up again, but since then it's got bigger and balder around it.

It doesn't bother him at all, I don't see him worrying at it and he lets me touch it so I sent a picture on the vets app to ask if I can still use steroid cream now he has heart failure but I haven't had a reply yet so I thought I'd ask the helpful people of the Litter Tray!

The first picture is midweek, the second is today and the third is Harry in his new house!

My cat Harry has a bald patch
My cat Harry has a bald patch
My cat Harry has a bald patch
OP posts:
Icantstopthisfeeling · 15/01/2023 16:32

I thought this was going to be another blasted Royals thread & wondered why it had been posted in the litter tray Grin

Poor Harry, no clue but bumping in the hope you get a knowledgeable poster to respond.

Roselilly36 · 15/01/2023 16:35

Is Harry an indoor cat? If not, has he been in a fight perhaps?

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 15/01/2023 16:44

@Icantstopthisfeeling sorry, I didn't think when I posted! Harry (Puss not Prince) would like to make it clear that he has nothing to do with a certain book!

@Roselilly36 our garden is cat proofed so it's not a fight. It's just weird how it looks less angry but is getting bigger.

OP posts:
Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 15/01/2023 16:53

Thanks @MNHQ for updating the title to avoid confusion with a certain other Harry!

OP posts:
Allergictoironing · 15/01/2023 17:08

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 15/01/2023 16:44

@Icantstopthisfeeling sorry, I didn't think when I posted! Harry (Puss not Prince) would like to make it clear that he has nothing to do with a certain book!

@Roselilly36 our garden is cat proofed so it's not a fight. It's just weird how it looks less angry but is getting bigger.

I think your Harry IS a prince, just not the 2 legged ginger kind 😀

Findyourneutralspace · 15/01/2023 17:11

Could be an abscess, but they usually come from scrapping. I’d get it looked at.

Florissant · 15/01/2023 17:13

I don't know what it is, OP, but it would make a wonderful first line of a children's song.

Florissant · 15/01/2023 17:13

Edit: I mean the title of your thread! Not the owie.

HirplesWithHaggis · 15/01/2023 17:14

My white cat got patches like that as a reaction to flea bites. He did worry at them and it required vet treatment, a steroid injection, and he's been fine since. (It was during lockdown and he's an outdoor farm cat, little to no contact with other cats.)

Toddlerteaplease · 15/01/2023 17:24

This is Harry, No need to say anymore!!

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 15/01/2023 17:25

We're up to date with his flea treatment (Bravecto Plus) so it shouldn't be that. I really don't want him to have another steroid injection (he had one for worse lesions on his face) as he went into heart failure the day after the last one. I'm hoping the vet will say it's ok to give him steroid cream but we'll see.

OP posts:
ColdHandsHotHead · 15/01/2023 20:38

My cat once got a bald patch on the back of his neck in a place where I thought he wouldn't be able to reach to lick it. I put an inflatable collar on him for a week (fiend that I am) and it cleared up. Might be worth a try? Have still no idea what caused it and it never recurred.

GerronBuzanDoThaWomwok · 15/01/2023 20:44

Meghan, is that you ???😂👸

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 16/01/2023 07:39

We tried a collar when he had the lesions on his face last year. The look on his face says it all...

My cat Harry has a bald patch
OP posts:
Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 16/01/2023 13:07

An update - the vet has reviewed the pictures and prescribed Harry steroid cream. DH is going to pick it up tomorrow and we'll see how it goes as to whether we use it - although he's bald the scab hasn't got any worse and I don't want to give him anything he might not need because of his heart. He's not bothered by it so I don't want to upset him!

OP posts:
HirplesWithHaggis · 16/01/2023 15:48

Hope the cream works, with no side effects, and that Harry doesn't need the collar again!

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 16/01/2023 16:40

I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to put it on him again!

OP posts:
Theunamedcat · 16/01/2023 16:44

I love his flower face

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 16/01/2023 20:52

Theunamedcat · 16/01/2023 16:44

I love his flower face

We tried a doughnut once. As you can see that also went down well.

My cat Harry has a bald patch
OP posts:
LostCats · 20/01/2023 08:54

How is Harry doing?
ps I LOVE the donut!

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 20/01/2023 09:36

As you can probably tell by his expression he hated the doughnut!

He's doing ok at the moment. His legs are a bit stiff sometimes when he wakes up but once he gets going he's fine. Yesterday he was playing with his catnip toys and chasing them around the living room! When his legs are stiff I feel guilty but we can't risk giving him anything after the way the gabapentin affected him.

Here he is asleep in his bed - no wonder his legs are stiff!

My cat Harry has a bald patch
OP posts:
Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 20/01/2023 09:38

I forgot to mention the bald patch - it's still there but hasn't got any bigger and isn't weeping so we haven't yet used the steroid cream the vet prescribed. It's not bothering him at all thankfully

OP posts:
LostCats · 20/01/2023 09:58

Ah I’m so glad it’s all as good as can be. I’ve been meaning to ask for a few days.
ps the sleeping pic is so cute! The way they sleep is mad isn’t it!

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 21/01/2023 10:10

His legs were very stiff last night and we were a bit worried but when he woke me up in the night (twice) to tell me he'd eaten all his food they were fine! We're trying him on YuMove now so fingers crossed it helps him as we're so limited in what we can do for him.

OP posts:
LostCats · 21/01/2023 10:13

I do hope that helps. Poor guy. Our Boone is very stiff too but his is a compressed spinal cord sadly. Although he’s not helping himself by refusing his medicine this morning.

Swipe left for the next trending thread