Figgy scratched her red, itchy bumps until she developed bloody sores. Jasper clawed constantly at his irritated face, neck and ears. Maya fretted and scratched her dry, flaky skin. While all of these cats were plagued with itchiness, each one probably had a vastly different illness.
“Whether using conventional or alternative treatments, it’s best to start with a diagnosis,” says Pam Truman, DVM, a holistic veterinarian based in Overland Park, Kan. “That way, you can formulate a methodical treatment plan.”
Common causes of itchy feline skin include allergies to food, inhaled materials (such as pollens and airborne particles) or things that touched the skin (such as carpet); fungal infections (such as ringworm); parasites (including fleas, ticks and mites); autoimmune diseases; matted, poorly groomed fur; and a shoddy diet.
**Get the June 2009 issue of CAT FANCY to read the full article.**