Have you noticed your cat scratching a lot and wondered why? While it could be an issue with fleas, there are other conditions that can cause your cat to become itchy and uncomfortable. In this article, I go through condition like Mycoplasma which is transmitted by deer mice and has symptoms of pneumonia and the upper respiratory tract. Some cats scratch the carpet. Not your cat. Your cat is infested with fleas or mites to the point that it causes fur to fall off, your couch to pay a high price and you to pull your hair out from seeing all the bald patches in the carpet. A cat scratched the door to our apartment building. Chris immediately pulled out his phone and started recording. The cat’s behavior was “weird” as he clawed the wall and darted after babies who walked by him. Chris kept recording and we took the video to an expert for analysis. Your cat is scratching at its skin, but it won’t stop. It keeps scratching even when you are petting it, so that it can feel your touch. Have you ever looked at your beloved pet and thought, “I would do anything to cure my cat’s mysterious skin condition?” If so, then this article is for you! So you have a flea infestation on your hands — and it’s scratching. You take your brand new 5000$ feline friend to the vet, and the tests reveal…cat scratches, but no fleas. Hmmm… Interesting. What is going on here? And what can be done about it?

Cat Scratches But No Fleas

Introduction

Cats are notorious for hiding their illnesses. Many times, cat owners don’t know their furry friends are sick until it’s too late. Scratching is one way to determine if your cat might not be feeling well.

Cats scratch for many reasons, including stretching muscles and marking territory, but when your cat starts scratching more than usual, you should investigate deeper. There’s a good chance that some underlying health issue is the reason for your kitty’s irritation. To help you out, here’s a list of seven common causes of itching and scratching in cats:

Fleas are the most common cause of itching.

A flea is a small brown insect that lives in the fur of a cat or dog. Fleas can cause excessive scratching and biting by the pet, especially around the ankles, tail base and rump.

A flea bite may be visible as a small red spot on your pet’s skin but this may also be hidden in its thick coat of fur. If you think your pet has fleas visit our Petshop for advice or book an appointment at our clinic to have them treated.

Parasites.

You should also rule out parasites. These tiny creatures can cause itching, so they could be causing your cat’s scratching behavior. Parasites include fleas, ticks, ear mites, lice, ringworm and tapeworms. Your veterinarian can test for these parasites through a blood test or skin scraping.

If your vet does not find any parasites when testing for them in the following months after treating your cat for fleas (and there is no sign of any new fleas), then it’s possible that there are other underlying causes of the scratching behavior that you should continue to investigate with him or her.

Food allergies can lead to itching and scratching.

Food allergies are a common cause of itching and scratching in cats. To test for food allergies, try giving your cat a diet of boiled chicken and rice for a few weeks. If the scratching stops, it is likely due to an allergy to something in their regular food. If the scratching continues, it may be caused by another reason such as fleas or parasites (see below).

Cats also can have environmental allergies.

Environmental allergies are a common cause of skin problems in cats. Because the cat’s immune system is so similar to ours, many of the things we are allergic to can make your cat itchy as well. Environmental allergies can be caused by:

• Dust mites
• Pollen
• Bacteria and mold spores

You should also consider that your cat may have an allergy to fleas or other parasites which would need to be treated before you start treating environmental allergies.

Psoriasis is a skin disorder that can cause itching and scratching.

Psoriasis is a skin disorder that can cause itching and scratching. It’s not caused by fleas, but it can look similar to flea bites or allergies to other substances.

Psoriasis is caused by an autoimmune disease that causes the rapid growth of skin cells on the surface of your pet’s body. This rapid growth creates scaly patches on his fur, which results in redness and inflammation around these patches as well as itchiness—and your cat will scratch himself until he bleeds because of it!

The good news is that there are many treatments for psoriasis available for cats with this condition, including topical medications and phototherapy treatments using ultraviolet light (UVB).

Dry skin, especially in winter months, can cause your cat to itch and scratch more than usual.

Dry skin is especially common in winter months when the air is drier. If your cat has dry skin, he or she will scratch and rub more than usual.

• Dry skin can be caused by a poor diet, fleas or other parasites, allergies and climate conditions.
• Signs of dry skin include flaking of the coat, redness around their ears, nose and eyes and excessive scratching.
• Treatments for dry skin include moisturizing with lotions containing lanolin (found in many pet stores), treating any underlying medical conditions that may be causing it (such as fleas or allergies), getting your cat into a heated room during cold weather if you live in an area with cold winters like Chicago does

Cats are masters of hiding pain, but pain is another common reason for scratching.

While fleas are a common reason for scratching, there may be other causes. Your cat might be experiencing pain that she’s hiding from you. Cats are masters of hiding pain, so if your kitty is suddenly scratching more than usual and seems to randomly scratch in different areas, it’s possible that she has an injury or illness.

Injuries can happen when your pet is playing or fighting with another animal—or even when your cat slips on the floor and falls off something high like the kitchen counter. If you notice some sort of injury on your kitty’s body after she starts to scratch more than usual, take her to see the vet right away. A vet will be able to assess what happened and treat any injuries immediately so they don’t get worse over time (and cause further health complications).

Arthritis is another common cause of itching and scratching in cats because arthritis causes inflammation throughout their bodies which results in pain being felt by every part of them including their paws!

Cats don’t often show illness, but it’s important to keep an eye out for it.

The first step to helping your cat is to understand what she’s going through. Cats are masters of hiding pain, discomfort, and illness. In fact, cats have even been known to hide illnesses from their owners! This is why it’s so important for you to pay attention and look out for any signs of illness in your cat. If you notice anything unusual about how your cat acts or behaves—whether it’s weight loss or lethargy—take her to the vet right away.

If you want more information on how cats show sickness, check out this article by WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/cats/news/20040501/how-do-cats-show-sickness

Conclusion

Cats don’t often show illness, but it’s important to keep an eye out for it. Depending on the source of the itch and scratch, treatment could be as simple as a flea bath, or as complicated as surgery. Fortunately all of these issues are treatable so you can help your kitty find relief soon!