Why is my feral cat chewing fur off? Could it be fleas or an allergy?

Question

My feral cat who is at least 7 years old has chewed off her hair on both sides of her body and the skin underneath looks sore. She does not scratch. I cannot catch her to take her to a Vet. She has a good appetite and goes exploring. We live near Chicago and there are some wooded areas nearby. Thank you. Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Female | spayed

Lauren Kennedy, DVM · Accepted Answer

It sounds as if your cat has a skin infection, most commonly caused by an allergy or fleas. The allergy could be a due to a protein in Muffin's food or an environmental allergy like to dust, pollens, grasses, etc. The allergy causes your cat to itch and chew at the skin which breaks down the skin barrier. This then leads to infection. Muffin will need antibiotics to help clear up the infection and possibly an anti-itch medication like steroids to give some relief while the infection clears up. A medicated shampoo may be beneficial as well. I would also recommend she be on a good flea control too. I can totally understand it may be hard to catch Myffin. But hopefully you can get her into the vet one time and everything will be able to be given injectably and she will be able to get cleared up. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck!

Why is my feral cat chewing fur off? Could it be fleas or an allergy?

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