Scratchy and Itchy.

No this is not about the Simpson's show. Remember on that show they have a cartoon that Bart and Lisa like called the Itchy and Scratchy Show. This is about cats who have a skin condition. So the cat is scratching and you know that you took care of the flea situation with flea treatment. Nope this is different. Todays information is brought to you by Petplace.com. This is a great web site for people with pets. Not just cats but all sorts of pets. Check it out. In some cases of chronic itching or biting, you may find your kitty is suffering from a skin condition called Pruritus. They could be dealing with allergic dermatitis, another common skin condition. Pruritus is an unpleasant sensation that causes a cat to scratch or bite himself. It is caused by chemical reactions that occur in the skin and stimulate the nerves, causing the brain to send a signal that says I itch. Sort of like humans. Pruritus is associated with other secondary skin diseases including secondary bacterial infections. But the main symptoms are caused by skin conditions like allergies and skin parasites. WHAT TO WATCH FOR. Scratching or biting, that can lead to hair loss and scabbing. If it gets this far you haven't been paying attention to your kitty. Just saying. Also chronic licking of their feet. DIAGNOSIS. Complete medical exam. Skin scraping to rule out mange mites or other parasites, fungal cultures to rule out ringworm. Yuk. TREATMENT. This may include medications for the skin condition. Antihistamines, Fatty acid supplements, Soothing Shampoos, (good luck bathing a cat). And Corticosteroids. HOME CARE. Keep their coats clean and brushed. I find that there are cat wipes that help in cleaning the cats coats. I like them. Nontoxic as well. And of course flea treatment. For the full article go to Petplace.com for more information, I of course just touch on the basics. So tomorrow I think I will surprise you so check back. I hope you enjoy your day. Happy no Scratchy and Itchy here.