Hello, my cat has skin allergies. She keeps licking at her belly causing open wounds, what can I do to help her? Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Female | spayed | 6 years and 1 month old | 8 lbs

Hello, sorry to hear about Riley. Skin allergies in cats are definitely a very challenging disease to manage. We associate this condition with food or environmental allergies, and much less likely, flea allergy dermatitis. Riley's skin condition looks severe enough that she may have in addition a secondary bacterial or yeast infection on her skin. Riley will need several diagnostics as with any dermatology condition, fortunately these are relatively inexpensive and minimally invasive. These will help rule out bacterial and yeast as well as ring worm. Medications may include antibiotics, anti-fungals, and anti-allergy medications to control the itchiness. Additionally, Riley may have to undergo a food trial with a novel protein diet or a hypoallergenic diet to rule out food allergies. I recommend having Riley evaluated by her veterinarian soon so that she can have her skin assessed and be given medications to help with all of this. Alternatively, you may choose to consult directly with a dermatologist whom may offer the most information in regards to Riley's skin condition. Hope this helps and best of luck.

My cat has skin allergies and licks her belly raw. What to do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Hello, my cat has skin allergies. She keeps licking at her belly causing open wounds, what can I do to help her?

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Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS 77

Veterinarian

Published on February 9th, 2018

This is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

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My cat has skin allergies and licks her belly raw. What to do?

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