Human Medicine Used On A Cat

[scoobysoo]

My mum's cat has been pulling all her fur out and making her skin sore. My mum has been putting antiseptic cream on it which she said is helping, but I'm a bit worried. My mum can't afford the vets but I'm concerned it will do more harm than good. Any ideas?

[jaberwocky]

probably shouldn't be using human stuff but what you could do is take the cat to the nearest PDSA [peoples dispensary for sick animals] they dont charge, at least they didn't used to.

[carnat]

we found atiseptic cat powder good as it dries any sores and is not to harsh

[Kimmiebear]

If the cream helps by all means use it. Try to find the cause of the itchyness. If there is a lot of stress that might cause itching. If your Mum has switched food that also could cause it. You could call the vet and ask them what they think. They will recommend an exam, just decline it. Ask what products they have that might help that you don't need a prescription to get. There are shampoos and creams out there that are 100% cat safe that are over the counter. I would recommendd talking to the vet though and not a pet store. The receptionist should be able to answer your questions or ask to be referred to the nurse. Has your Mum deflead her cat lately? That also might be a good thing to try.
Cheers
Kim

[Eels]

Cats can do this for a number of reasons - allergies, parasites, infections, hormone problems and stress can all cause the symptoms you describe.

I really think the cat should be seen by a vet to make sure it is being treated correctly. Bear in mind any cream you apply to the cat will be licked off, so you do need to take care.

The PDSA will help you if you can supply proof of benefits. You'll find them in your phone book. You could always phone your vet for an idea of cost - until they examine the cat they won't be able to say for sure but they might be able to give you a ball park figure. Skin diseases can blow up into much bigger problems if they aren't treated early on, so I'd advise you to have her checked - it might be quite simple to treat.

[snook]

We have a cat that we took in and it was doing the same thing. We tried several things, thinking we could sort it out, and eventually took it to see a vet, who told us the cat had an infestation of mites under the skin. She treated him with antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory, as well as a course of one of the stronger anti-flea treatments (which was administered as a few drops on the back of the neck, where the cat can�t get at it � it�s then absorbed through the skin). The anti-flea treatment had to be given every month for three months, but we still do it to be on the safe side.

Felix showed improvements right away and was like a different cat altogether within a few weeks. He must have been going through hell with those things itching him from under his skin � no wonder he was scratching and biting himself raw. If we'd known what was causing it we'd have had it seen to right away.

I�d definitely get your cat to see a vet. Look up the PDSA in the Yellow Pages and go to your local one. As jaberwocky says, you don�t have to pay them anything, (but it�s always nice to give something, no matter how small, if possible).

If you decide to use a cream, you could try this one.

[quila]

My cat was doing the same thing about a month ago so i took him to the vet and he had a slight case of dermatitis which was causing him to pull his hair out the got a jag for it and it has helped him loads his fur is starting to grow back now. Its not a good idea to use human creams ask a pet shop for animal antiseptic cream. If your mum cant afford the vet get her to ask if there is any help she can get from them or try your nearest cpl (cats protection league) or the pdsa there is help out there for people in your mums situation hope this helps

[Toureman]

Some time ago my dog had an ongoing eye problem that required eye drops daily, these cost �11 a bottle from the vets, I found that I could use the prescription for them at any chemist as it was the same product for humans , the charge at a chemist was only �3.50!

[Altosruleok]

we had a cat that did this once and it turned out that she is allergic to fleas. if she gets even one flea, she breaks out in scabs which then itch and she starts scratching and pulling her fur out. your cat needs to see a vet if this is what is happening. if your mum can't afford it, try the cats protection league