Round Bare Cat Skin Patches

We've been caring for a male stray cat that arrived at our home. He was starving so we fed him and took him to be neutered.

The clinic that neutered him said he has chin acne. We're treating that, but he also has round bare patches appearing on his lower back and hip area.

We're thinking of treating him the same way we were told to treat the chin acne. We really don't want to spend more money at the vet.

We've rescued, feed and spayed or neutered 7 cats so far. This is getting expensive. Also wondered if he would benefit from the Dermisil or other products mentioned on your web page.

Vet Suggestions Round Bare Cat Skin Patches

Hi,

I can’t give you a definitive diagnosis without seeing your cat, but the “round bare patches” that you describe sound an awful lot like ringworm. This is definitely worth a trip to the vet since ringworm is contagious not just to other pets but to people as well.

Your vet can diagnose ringworm by using a black light that may highlight the most affected areas and by taking hair samples and growing the ringworm fungus on a special type of gel.

If it is ringworm, your vet can recommend the most effective treatment based on the severity of your cat’s condition. In the meantime, isolate this cat from any other pets in the house and make sure you wash your hands extremely well after being in contact with him.

Personally, I do not have any experience with Dermisil. The active ingredient in the ringworm product, lime sulfur, is effective against this disease, but it can cause problems if it gets into your cat’s eyes or if he were to lick it so if you choose to try this at home, take appropriate precautions.

Of course, if your cat fails to improve with home treatment, you should take him in to the vet. He may not have ringworm at all, or he may require more aggressive treatment with oral anti-fungal medications.

Good luck,

Jennifer Coates, DVM