Why Does Your Cat Have Itchy Skin? Causes & Treatments

When cats start scratching themselves more than usual, we often assume they have fleas. But fleas aren’t the only possible cause of your cat’s itchy skin. It’s important to determine the correct underlying cause for your cat’s itchy skin so you can start the appropriate treatment as soon as possible.

We’ll help you understand the most common causes of itchy skin in cats, from food allergies to skin infections, so you can feel informed and prepared for your vet visit.

Why Does Your Cat Have Itchy Skin?

While fleas can be a common cause of itchy skin in cats, it’s important to make sure there isn’t another underlying issue - especially if you’re not seeing those pesky black specks on your cat’s fur or skin.

We know you want to help your cat feel better, so we’ll explain some of the most common causes of itchy skin, including food allergies, insect bites, ear mites, and skin infections.

Common Symptoms of Cat Itchy Skin

You may notice your cat scratching themselves more often, but increased scratching isn’t the only behavior you can watch for if your cat is itchy and irritated. Common symptoms of itchy skin in cats include:

Frequent or constant scratching, sometimes focused on specific areas like the ears or base of the tail
Skin changes like irritation, scaliness, flakiness, dryness, redness, bumps, hair loss, or scabs
Swelling
Over-grooming
Coughing up more hairballs than usual
Pulling out their fur
Nibbling on their skin
Allergy symptoms like sneezing, coughing, wheezing, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Common Causes of Itchy Skin In Cats

Let’s explore the most common causes of itchy skin in cats.

Food Intolerance or Allergy

Food allergies or intolerance can often cause dermatologic reactions, or physical reactions related to the skin, and these reactions can be immediate or delayed, making it difficult at times to pinpoint food as the cause. Food allergies and intolerances may be accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms.

Doctors believe that skin disease related to food allergies is the result of a hypersensitive immune response that targets the body after your cat ingests certain foods. If your vet rules out non-food causes of your cat’s itchy skin, food allergies or intolerance may be the cause of your pet’s distress. That’s where KOHA comes in.

Whether you’re doing a temporary elimination diet to determine the exact allergen or you want to put your cat on a limited-ingredient diet permanently, KOHA has delicious, protein-rich cat food for cats with allergies.

Insect Bites

Whether your cat was minding its own business indoors or playing out among nature, it’s likely they’ll experience a few insect bites in their lifetime. Parasites use cats to facilitate their life cycle, leaving your cats feeling itchy and irritated. Some may even spread deadly infectious diseases.

Here are some of the most common bug bites to watch for:

Flea bites: Flea bites, which look like individual raised spots (red or pink) or clusters of spots, often center on a cat’s neck, back, and the base of their tail. They’re itchy for all cats, and they may quickly scab over in cats that are allergic to them. Even before they bite your cat, you may notice the black fleas or their feces on your cat’s fur.
Tick bites: Technically arachnids rather than insects, ticks nonetheless leave insect-like bites that cause itchiness and other symptoms, depending on whether or not they carry lyme disease. You might notice a reddish brown or black tick on your cat, but if they attach to the skin before you catch them, they’ll look like a small round bump in the skin. Once they’ve taken the blood they want, they fall off, leaving a tiny wound
Mite bites: Mites are microscopic insects that invade skin and hair follicles and may cause ear infections. The areas where they make their home become irritated, itchy, and inflamed, and they may cause hair loss. They can sometimes be spotted as tiny specks on a dark background.
Mosquito bites: Like humans, cats can suffer intense itchiness if bitten by a mosquito. They feed on blood like ticks, but their bites leave behind inflamed bumps rather than wound-type spots. Mosquitos are even more dangerous for your cat if they carry heartworm disease, which can lead to skin lesions, swelling, hair loss, and changes in skin color.
Bee/Hornet/Wasp bites: Sometimes we’re all unlucky enough to be stung by a bee, and cats may heighten their risk by trying to inspect the fun-looking flying insects. If stung, your cat may howl in the immediate moment.In the aftermath, depending on the severity of the sting and whether or not your cat is allergic, they may have itchy skin, a limp, swelling, redness, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Ant bites: Ants may be tiny, but they can cause discomfort like many other insects. If bitten by ants, your cat may have red, raised bumps that itch.

Ear Mites

Some types of mites make their home in our pets’ ears, where they can cause major damage if not properly removed. If your cat’s ears are infested with ear mites, they may have inflamed outer ears. They may also shake their head frequently or flatten their ears against their head. Their ears may also smell foul and be filled with dark-colored wax and mite debris. The mites are too tiny to be seen easily, but sometimes you can spot them if you put the wax on a dark surface and inspect it with a magnifying lens.

If you think your cat has ear mites, call your vet so they can stop the damage to your cat’s ears and face, prevent infection, and end their discomfort.

Bacterial Skin Infections (Pyoderma)

Although cats develop bacterial skin infections (or pyoderma) less often than dogs, infections are still a possibility if your cat is experiencing itchy skin. Pyoderma can be caused by an overgrowth of normal skin bacteria or by the appearance of bacteria not normally found on the skin. If the skin’s protective barrier is broken, bacteria can cause infection by taking over the area.

If a bacterial infection goes untreated, the infection may move into other tissues and cause worse symptoms. Aside from itchy skin, cats with bacterial infections may exhibit:

Excessive dander or scaly skin
Crusty skin
Small, firm skin bumps
Hair loss
Redness
Open sores (and blood and discharge from sores)
Skin odor
Excessive licking or rubbing of the skin.

Bacterial skin infections may happen as a result of allergies, parasites, or feline chin acne. Other medical conditions such as feline immunodeficiency virus, hyperthyroidism, or hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease) may also cause skin infections.

Cat Itchy Skin Diagnosis: What to Expect at the Vet

Even if you suspect your cat may simply be allergic to something in their food, it’s important to take them to your vet so they can rule out more serious causes for your cat’s itchy skin.

In the office, your vet will perform a physical examination and ask for your cat’s skin history. They may conduct microscopic analysis of skin scrapings or flea combing to rule out fleas and mites, and they will look for signs of infectious disease or infection. For the latter, they may take a skin sample to inspect.

Your vet may suggest trial treatments for fleas or a course of antibiotics or antifungal medications to treat possible infections.

If these treatments provide no relief, or if your vet suspects a food allergy, they will likely recommend a food trial to isolate the food to which your cat is allergic, since food allergies in pets cannot be diagnosed by blood or skin tests. If your vet prescribes a food trial, it’s important to be patient and dedicated to the diet so you and your vet can see accurate results that help you determine the cause of your cat’s discomfort. Tasty meals like KOHA’s allergy-friendly cat food make for a smoother transition process!

Treatment: How to Soothe Your Cat’s Itchy Skin

There’s no one-size-fits-all treatment for itchy skin, given all the possible underlying causes. Your vet will need to diagnose your cat properly to find the best solution. Possible treatment options include:

Diet Changes

If your vet suspects your cat’s itchy skin is a result of a food allergy or intolerance, upgrading their diet to an allergy-friendly, limited-ingredient one may be the best solution. This may involve removing all common allergens from their diet with limited-ingredient cat food. Some vets may suggest adding ingredients back in after a time, but many cats do well continuing with such diets if their symptoms go away.

A novel protein diet is another possible option. Novel protein cat food is composed of proteins not normally found in your pet’s diet. Your cat’s immune system may not recognize unfamiliar proteins, making them less likely to trigger an allergic reaction.

Changing your cat’s diet to pet allergy-friendly food is a safe and healthy way to help your pet find relief from itchy skin!

Antibiotics

If your vet diagnoses your cat with a bacterial infection, they’ll prescribe antibiotics to help kick the infection quickly. Your vet may suggest oral or topical antibiotics, depending on your cat’s condition and their willingness to take oral medication. There are several types of antibiotics your vet can choose from, and they will determine the correct dosage based on your cat’s weight, symptoms, overall health, and other medications they may be taking.

Medicated Shampoo

If your cat is suffering from an infection or skin allergies, your vet may also suggest medicated shampoo to alleviate inflammation and itching. In the case of infection, some shampoos are also antibacterial, which helps treat the infection. Many over-the-counter shampoos are general-purpose, but medicated shampoos treat specific skin conditions.

If your vet prescribes medicated shampoo, you may wonder how to get your cat to let you bathe them in the first place, considering cats’ notorious hatred for baths. The best way to bathe your cat is in a sink or bathtub and ideally with the help of a friend or family member.

Have clean, dry towels at the ready and within easy reach. And if possible, use a spray nozzle or hose attachment to make rinsing easier. If you don’t have access to either, put water in a large cup or bowl and pour it over your cat.

Topical Ointments

Topical medications, like wipes, ointments, creams, and lotions, may be prescribed to help treat wounds or other skin conditions. These ointments may include antibiotics for infections or antifungals for yeast infections, or your vet may prescribe topical allergy medication.

Depending on your cat’s comfort levels and how much ointments bother them, applying topical medications (and keeping them on your cat’s skin) may be difficult. You may have to monitor them carefully or put them in a cone to make sure they don’t lick the medication off.

Treat Your Cat’s Itchy Skin

Don’t let your cat’s health get out of hand. Contact your vet to seek a proper diagnosis of their itchy skin and receive the best treatment. If food allergies are the culprit, try dietary changes to give your furry friend relief from itching.

KOHA’s food is a great option for cats suffering from food allergies, and the tasty flavors are sure to appeal to even the pickiest eater. You and your cat can choose from patés, shreds, and poké bowls, and you can even throw in freeze-dried raw toppers for a real treat! No matter what you choose, you can trust that KOHA’s food is free from junky fillers and pesky common allergens.

Have a picky or food-sensitive pup?

Have a picky or food-sensitive feline?