My cat has a painful red bald spot and pulls hair. What can I apply?

Question

My cat has a big red bald spot that hurts him. Is there anything safe that I can apply? Also he is yanking his hair. Thank you.

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor kitty! Unfortunately, it's difficult to use topical medications in cats because they normally groom them off and ingest them. You could put an e-collar (plastic cone) on your cat to prevent him from being able to reach the spot, and use a pet-safe topical hydrocortisone spray if you want to try this - just make sure any product you use is labeled for cats, since they are very sensitive to the chemicals in many topical meds designed for dogs and other animals. Most of the time, prescription medication such as a steroid and/or an antibiotic is required to effectively treat skin problems like this, so I would really recommend taking your cat to the vet for an exam as soon as you are able to. Your vet can do some simple skin tests to help determine what is causing the problem (allergies, fleas, a bacterial or fungal infection, etc.) and get him started on appropriate medication to treat it.

My cat has a painful red bald spot and pulls hair. What can I apply?

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